For The Love Of A Child
by Delgados-Intern2007
Summary: When a blast form the past comes back to haunt Lu's future will she be able to cope with the pain all over again?
1. OLD FRIENDS RETURN

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter One**- _Old Friends Return_

Lu smiled as she woke up and rolled over to see her husband Jonas smiling back at her. They had been married for the last two years and she still couldn't get over the ways she felt in his arms and how her heart still fluttered every time he touched her or they hugged and kissed.

"Hey baby." He said as he smiled his perfect white toothed smile.

"Hey." Lu said in a tone way to sexy for that early in the morning.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Jonas asked as he checked his watch….6:30

"Oh the usual, work, work, and more work. I better get a move on I don't want to be late." Lu gave him a quick kiss on the lips and headed towards the bathroom.

"If you hurry we can take the limo." Jonas offered although he knew that Lu would rather take her silver car. She still wasn't comfortable with the limo…in fact she hated it.

"No Thanks!" She called as she rinsed the Dove conditioner out of her perfect brown hair. She stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in her favorite black jumbo fluffy towel. Lu walked back into her room to get dressed for the day.

"Who's taking Allison to day care?" Lu asked

"I'll drop her off. Unless you want to take her to the office with you."

"I can't not today. I have a day full of patients and the boss has still failed to provide us with a day care center in the clinic."

Lu lifted her three year old little girl up and spun her around. She checked to make sure that everything they needed was in the diaper bag and then she carried Alley to her Daddy so he could take her to day care, and she could take her car to work.

"Bye Baby Mommy loves you!" Lu kissed her daughter on the cheek before she got into her car and drove away. Leaving all of the comforts of home at home.

"Dr. Thorton to ER! Dr. Throton to ER!" A voice yelled over the loud speaker.

Kayla ran into the ER and found a young woman, mid 20's laying on the bed.

"What's going on?" Kayla asked as she looked the patient over.

"Female, twenty-three, pulse one o two and falling. We believe this may be a possible OD. We haven't had enough time to properly investigate though."

"OK I need a CT scan, portable chest and chest x-rays, I need a ultra sound, stomach pump, and a normal saline drip STAT! Lets move people!"

After many failed attempts to resituate the young woman Kayla finally put the shockers down and looked at her watch.

"I'm calling it." Kayla said as they charged the metal pads up for the fourth time and failed to resituate her.

"No! We have to try one more time!" One of the new 1st years yelled. As he started manual CPR once Kayla put the shockers away.

"We have to let her go! Look at her. She's already gone. We've done everything that we can do for her! She overdosed on Anti- Depressants and about fifty other prescription drugs. Pumping her stomach did no good! She's too far gone." Kayla explained to her intern in a gentle supporting voice.

"How long has he been at it?" Jennifer the head NOC asked.

"Ten minutes. But if you count the ambulance ride and the emergency shockers the total is forty-five minutes. Kayla said as she shook her head sadly.

"That's ENOUGH!" Jennifer yelled as she pulled the first year off of the lifeless body.

"Call it Kayla."

"Official T.O.D was 11:45am ." Kayla called as she checked her watch to be sure the time was in accordance to the time on the big ER clock. Kayla covered The young unidentified body with a white sheet and headed off to her office.

Dr. Dana Stow walked into the doors of RWHC with a mission in mind and a brand new baby in her arms.

She had moved away somewhat like around the area of five years ago to live closer to her parents so that her two adopted daughters , Annie and Luisa would have more family, but after the tragic death of her mother and father she sold the land to move back to her second home .

Annie now ten and Luisa now five were staying with Nick (who they thought was their Daddy and had never been told otherwise,) while Dana and little Emily who was only 3 weeks old, went to RWHC in search of a job. Her appointment was at two pm but first she had something more important to do.

"Hey Dana how have you been doing?" Lana exclaimed when she saw her.

"Hey Lana is Lu around?" Dana asked as she walked up to Lana's desk looking just as stunning as she did when she left five almost six years ago.

"Why didn't you tell Lana you were coming Dr.Stow?" Lana asked as she rushed over to give Dana a huge hug.

"Don't tell Lu!" Dana warned "I want to surprise her!"

"You can go wait in her office. She should be in form chat-room any minute now. Lana'll send her your way." Lana promised.

"What's on the agenda for today Lana?" Lu asked as she walked into the main lobby of RWHC with a Iced Mocha Decaf in the other.

"Youpe (Lana swallowed the last bite of her breakfast taco.) You have a new patient waiting for you in your office baby."

"OK cool where is her patient file?"

"Oh…Lana laid it on your desk baby….now hurry she's waiting for ya!"

"Ok…Ok…" Lu said in a barley irritated voice.

Lu smiled to herself as she walked into her office. Things were always a good mystery when your working with Lana Hawkins! But even though she was use to Lana's mystery's she could have never been prepared for what she saw when she opened the curtains and reveled what or shall I say whom was sitting on the exam bed.

"OMG DANA! I can't believe it's really you!" Lu cried as she rushed to embrace her ex partner. She was so happy that Dana was back!

"Careful…." Dana said returning the hug and Lu realized for the first time that she was holding a very small baby girl.

"Who is this BEAUTIFUL baby girl?" Lu gently touched the baby's cheek.

"This is my baby girl Katie. She was born three weeks ago today." Dana said as she rubbed her baby daughters back.

"She's shy isn't she?" Lu smiled warmly at the little baby who had snuggled her face into her mothers shoulder when she saw that Lu was smiling at her. " I have a daughter now her name is Allison! She's three years old."

"Just a tad. Well I have to run I've got a interview with Dr. Jackson in just a few minutes. Why don't we meet and have dinner today after work." Dana suggested

"I would like that."

Dana walked out of her office and into Bobs without even knocking.

"What is it now Dr. Delgado?" Bob said without even looking up.

"First of all its not Dr. Delgado." Dana smiled.

"Oh Dana! I'm so sorry! I thought…." Bob looked bashfully at Dana.

"I know….I should have knocked….I'm sorry." Dana shifted her daughter on her hip and handed Bob her paperwork. He looked over it quickly and then…

"Well Dana your references and records are as clean as spotless as ever." Bob Jackson started "And I would like to say on behalf of myself and the rest of RWHC welcome!"

"Thank you Bob." Dana said as she gave Bob a hug.

"Where will you and your three girls be staying at?"

"I bought a home not too far from here. It is the perfect size for the three of us."

"I've been meaning to ask you….how are your other children?"

"Annie's doing great! She's finally trusting that I'm not going to leave her, like her real mother did. "

"And how about the other baby? You know the one we found here at the hospital?"

"She's doing better. She's still underweight but she is totally HIV free. The withdraws and seizures stopped about a year ago. She's in school and making all E's."

"Wow they sure have grown up."

"Yes, Yes they have."

"JENNIFER MARIE SULTEN!" Lu scolded "You should have come and taken time to talk to me! If you would have came in earlier this may not have happened!"

"I know Lu I'm so sorry!" Jennifer said as she gently touched her blackened

"We need to get you into a shelter we need to get you help!"

"I can't Lu he said he would kill me if I left him."

"You have to or he'll wind up killing you anyway."

"Fine Lu but only because I don't want my baby to get hurt."

"Your making the right choice Jenny."

"If I'm making the right choice then why does it feel so bad?"

Lu pondered on Jenny's question for a few minutes before answering . But little did Lu know that in fact it would be her getting hurt. Hurt all over again and this time much, much worse than before.


	2. OLD FLAMES REKINDLE

**For The Love Of A Child **

**Chapter Two**- _Old Flames Rekindle _

Rand Kindler walked into RWHC and up the stairs straight to Bob Jackson's office. He had a court order in his hand and also a police officer following him.

"Yes?" Bob asked as he looked at the paperwork her was attending and then to Rand like Rand didn't deserve the time of day form him.

"I have a court order. Judge Andrew Smith, of the state of PA, has reviewed my case form six years ago. Since there was a….how should I say this? (Rand paused for a brief moment.)…A lack of evidence, the Judge sees no reason why I can't have my old job back. In fact he's ordered you to give me my job back or be escorted to jail by this nice officer here."

"You can't have your job back Rand. I've told you this a million times over the last six years every time you've came and asked me about it. Court order or no court order. I can't risk you doing to someone else what you did to Lu. Not on my paycheck." Bob said in Lu's defiance.

"Sir I'm going to have to take you to jail then. You know he's going to get the job anyway. Why don't you just give it to him and make for a peaceful evening?"

"If he gets the job it sure as hell isn't going to be me saying he can have it. I can't hurt Lu like that. I just can't do it. She went through living hell when he raped her I can't give him full access to her so he can do it again."

"Have it your way then."

"Fine take me to jail. Really please do. I have just cause." Rand said as he held his wrists out to be cuffed.

"It's a loosening battle Bob! Why don't you just give me the job and save your time and money?" Rand gloated knowing that Bob would never give into his requests.

"Take me away." Bob said as he drew to the attention of the officer that he was holding his arms out to be cuffed.

"You have the right to remain silent…anything you say and or do can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one one may be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights?"

"Yes I do."

"You better be sure that this 'Lu' is worth fighting for."

"Oh believe me she is." Bob said. The officer placed the hand cuffs on his wrists and escorted him down the elevator and into his police car.

"I knew he'd see it my way." Rand thought to himself as he smiled a creepy smile of his from ear to ear.

**The Next Night**

Rand Kindler went straight down to the free-clinic once his shift for the night was over. He walked into Lu's office where he found Lu and Dana in the middle of a conversation that ceased immediately because of Lu's reaction when she saw him.

Lu's face suddenly turned as white as a sheet, her teeth began to chatter, and she began shaking all over as if it was freezing in her office.

Dana didn't like to say that she hated Rand, but preferred to say that she strongly disliked Rand for what he did to Lu. Dana noticed Lu's sudden change of attitude, but although she couldn't see Rand due to the fact that she was facing Lu, she could tell that something was terribly the matter by the true look of terror in Lu's eyes.

She then turned around and came face to face with the man that had caused her best friend so much pain so long ago. …….RAND KINDLER!

"UH!" Dana exclaimed as she inhaled too much air and nearly chocked at the sight of him

" Why so tense Luisa?" Rand asked as Dana got up and stood behind Lu.

"You…You….You…." Was all Lu could manage go get out. Hearing Rand talk so casually to her as if nothing had happened just made her sick.

Her heart was beating ten times the normal speed and her mouth was as dry as a sheet of sand paper. The memories of that night so long ago came rushing back to her drowning her like a dam that had broken.

"What are you doing here Rand? Get out of here!" Dana yelled.

"I came here to inform you, the both of you, that I am now an employee of this hospital once again. I just wanted to give the tow of you my best." Rand said with a cheesy grin that clearly said that he was up to no good.

"Bull-Shit!" Dana exclaimed. Her face turned red with anger.

"Don't 'bull-shit' me little miss know it all!" Rand addressed Dana with a smug attitude.

"You wanted to scare the shit out of Lu. You know that's the truth now admit it you scum bucket." Dana yelled.

Dana realized for the first time that the reason Lu wasn't talking is because she had fainted and gone completely limp in Dana's arms.

"She needs medical attention you had better leave before I call security."

Rand left and Dana scooted Lu's too light body into her arms and carried her to the couch where she laid her flat on her back.

Dana checked her friend for the signs of many medical conditions including heart-attack. Finally she concluded that Lu had just fainted.

"Lana get me a gerne !" Dana yelled sticking her head out the door.

Dana wheeled Lu out of her office and to the ER where she put her in an exam room and tried to get her to come to. She hooked her up to a heart monitor (just to make sure) and swayed smelling salt under her nose.

"Wh- What happened?" Lu asked as she slowly opened her eyes.

"You fainted sweetie." Dana spoke to Lu in a gentle voice.

"That…That…"Lu started before Dana shushed her.

"Do you remember anything?" She asked Lu.

"That….That scum ball's back." Lu sobbed as hot burning tears fell down her beautiful perfect face.

"He's not going to hurt you! I won't let him hurt you." Dana said in that same sweet tone.

"I've made a new life for myself." Lu said softly

"He's not going to hurt you again Lu. You've got friends here at this hospital. Look at what he's got. What has he got?" Dana asked Lu

"NOTHING!" She answered her own question.

"Where the hell is Bob?" Dana asked the cute blonde girl about 25 years old who was sitting at Bobs desk popping pink bubble gum.

"He's out for today. Didn't you hear? He's in jail.!" She said in a preppy voice.

"What jail is he in?"

"South Philly P.D."

"Thanks." Dana said as she ran out of the room and drove to the P.D.

Dana got out at the police department and walked in the doors. A rush of cold air greeted her but she was too pissed off to notice.

"I would like to speak to Bob Jackson." Dana told the receptionist.

"Fine. Sit here and I'll bring him out."

Dana sat and looked at some cheep magazine about a girl who was getting married to some pop star. Twenty minutes later Bob came out.

"How could you have hired HIM to come back to work at RWHC?" Dana scolded her boss.

"I'm sorry Dana. I was given the choice did I want to sit in jail or have Rand work for me. Obviously you can have guessed my choice."

"Then why is he working with us again?"

"He had a court order that said either I give him the job willingly and stay at work or I deny him the job and I go to jail and he gets the job anyway."

"How much is your bail set for?"

"1,000. Why?"

"We need you at the clinic . You can pay me back when you get it."

"Thank you Dana.!."

"Come on lets go. I have to get back. You know to make sure she's Ok."

Dana swiped her credit card and then signed the papers saying that she was bailing Bob out. Then she and Bob took off in her car back to the ER.

Dana walked out of the parking lot and back to the ER exam room where she was surprised to see Lu sitting on the bed in fetal position crying.

Dana walked over to where Lu was sitting and gently wrapped her arms around her best friend.

"What's the matter hunny?" Dana asked

"I just want to go home Dana."

"OK but your in no condition to drive. Get your things and I'll drive you home." Dana said firmly.

"OK Thanks." Lu smiled gratefully as she slowly stood up and walked to her office to gather her things. She slipped on her coat, put her flip phone in her scrubs butt pocket and then met Dana at Lana's desk.

Lu and Dana walked together out to Dana's car but they would never make it to Dana's car that day.

Rand Kindler and a buddy of his came up behind Lu and Dana without them even suspecting a thing. Rand grabbed Lu and shoved something in her mouth to muffle her screams and his buddy did the same to Dana. The men easily overpowered the women and chocked them gagged them and threw them in the back of their van.

"Dr. Delgado and Dr.Stow to the ER please. Dr. Delgado and Dr. Stow to ER!" The voice called over the loud speaker for the fourth time in a row.

"Has anyone seen Dana or Lu? Tonight's Wednesday night clinic and their both missing." Kayla asked as she rubbed her red, itchy, tired eyes.

"No Baby Lana hasn't seen either of them in about five hours. Is their cars still here?" Lana suggested Kayla check around.

"Yes both of their cars are here."

"Maybe you should call Jonas and see if Lu's with him."

"I think that's a good idea. It's quiet right now anyhow."

Ring….Ring……Ring…..Ring…..Ring….Ring….

"Hello?" Jonas asked in a very sleepy tone of voice.

"Hey Jonas this is Kayla form the clinic is Lu with you?" Kayla asked in a casual tone, not wanting to upset Jonas.

"Nope. Why would she be with me? Tonight's Wednesday she's suppose to be at the clinic with you and the rest of the crew . She's not there?"

"She's not here and I don't know if it's any condolence but Dr. Stow's missing too."

"Do you think that something could have happened to them?"

"I don't know.. Some guy named Rand Kindler came back today. Lu seemed pretty shocked and pretty shook up. He didn't seem hostel to her though. Do you think that could have something to do with this?"

"I'll be there shortly."

"Ok thanks."

Jonas threw on his clothes and got into his car. Five minutes later he was speeding towards the hospital.

Dana came to about 20 minutes after Rand and his friend threw her and Lu into a dark cold basement. Dana opened her eyes and was surprised to find that her eyes were no longer blindfolded and the ropes that bound her arms and legs together was removed.

She stood up and stretched her arms and legs to make sure that they were still working properly and when she discovered that they in fact were she began to look around the dirty basement for her best friend Lu.

Dana found Lu laying in a heap not ten feet away form herself. Lu's face was pale, and her vital signs were weak.

"Lu honey I need you to wake up now." Dana said as she gently shook Lu

Lu stirred but did not wake immediately. But after ten minutes of intense praying Lu opened her eyes and slowly sat up.

"Lu honey are you ok?"

"Where are we?"

"I suppose were in a cellar somewhere. Rand Kindler and one of his friends chocked gagged us and brought us here." Just as Dana said that the ladies heard heavy men's footsteps in the hallway.

"Come on! Come on!" Dana urged Lu as they snuck quietly and slowly into the darkest coldest corner. They huddled together and held on tight to each other. Both ladies were very frightened. But of course Dana didn't show her fears. She knew she had to be strong for Lu's sake.

One footstep, two footsteps, three footsteps, four, each footstep was getting closer and closer to the locked doors that kept Dana and Lu bounded in this whole time.

"Where's my beautiful Luisa at?" Rand asked as he walked down the stairs and looked around the dark cellar for Lu and Dana.

When he found Lu she was huddled up so close to Dana that Dana was smashed into the corner. But even so her arms were still around Lu in a protective best friend way.

"Well Well. Aren't you going to get up and come with me Luisa?" Rand asked but Lu just scooted further and further into the corner. Her fear showed.

"She's not going with you!" Dana said firmly as she held tight to Lu.

"Yes she is!" Rand yelled as he grabbed Lu and roughly pulled her out of Dana's grip.

"No! I'm not going with you!" Lu yelled as she kicked, scratched and screamed trying to get away form Rand.

Dana got up and joined in at kicking Rand to let go of Lu but he held strong and carried her up the stairs and through the door, locking it behind him so that Dana couldn't get out.

"Dana! Dana!" Lu cried as Rand carried her off to the bedroom.

Once Rand and Lu got to the bedroom he threw Lu down forcefully onto the bed. After removing his clothes, including his boxers, he began to undress her.

"Get off of me you bastard!" Lu yelled as she now was fully undressed and Rand was on top of her. Just like he was that great many years ago.

"Ha! You thought you were slick did you? Well you better realize little miss bitch that I'm a lot bigger and stronger than you are! And mark my word if you try and run….I'll hurt you even worse." Rand gave a sick disgusting smile and began to kiss her all over as he stuck his package into her Vagina and gave a satisfied moan.


	3. JUSTICE IS SERVED

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter Three**- _Justice Is Served _

"Both of their cars are in the garage. I'm calling the cops something must be wrong. Jonas told Lana and Kayla as he took out his cell phone.

"South Philly PD!" A lady answered the phone.

"Yes…yes you can. I need to talk to Sergeant Williams STAT!" Jonas said in a rush.

"Hello this is the Sergeant, how may I help you?"

"Hello Sergeant this is Jonas Ray. My wife Luisa and her friend Dana has gone missing. I need you to report to RWHC STAT!" Jonas said hanging up the phone.

"Don't worry baby boy we'll find them! No matter what we'll find them!" Lana said confidently to Jonas.

"We have to find them, we just have to!" Jonas said tears were streaming down his face.

Meanwhile only twenty miles away Lu was struggling against Rand's strength.

"Let go of me! Rand please let go of me! STOP!" Lu cried as she wiggled and tried to get away. She used her fingernails to scratch his face in a despite attempt.

"Oh No! Your not going anywhere BITCH! You cost me my job six years ago and now I'm going to make you pay all over again.!.!.!" Rand said as he more forcefully pushed himself inside of her and against her.

This continued for three endless hours until he finally let go. He pulled himself apart form Lu, and laying her motionless on the bed sobbing, hurting, and bleeding, got himself dressed.

"Get up! Get dressed NOW!" Rand said as he pulled Lu up off the bed and threw her towards her pile of clothes.

Lu winced against the pain and pulled on her pink lace panties and bra then she pulled on her MUDD jeans and a white MUDD mussel shirt.

Rand pulled her by her hair and dragged her down to the cellar where she threw her down the stairs and into Dana's grip.

"OMG Lu! Baby your bleeding, what did that BASTARD do to you?"

"He…Dana he raped me again…." Lu said through labored breaths.

"Lu we have to get out of here. There's a small window. If you could help me to get it open I could go and get help."

"Dana please don't leave me!" Lu said as she sobbed.

"Lu I have to if we ever want to get out of here alive. Can you stay down here by yourself just until I get back?" Dana knew though as she looked at her partner whom could barley even sit up, that it would be hard to leave her behind.

"(Dana looked at Lu pleadingly) I heard Rand talking he has an appointment in an hour I could get out of here and get help and be back before he even gets home."

"Dana I'm scared what if he comes back?"

"That's why I need to get you some help."

"Ok Dana…" Lu said reserving, she was shaking all over and she couldn't seem to control the tears that were falling down her cheeks. "Can't I go with you?"

"Honey your too weak. You can barley even sit up. I promise I'll be right back." Dana handed Lu her white Dr's Jacket and Lu wrapped it around her. "I promise. I will be back. Lu hugged Dana and then Dana hosted herself up and broke out the window. She then pulled herself through and landed with a thud onto the soft grass.

"Hurry Dana!" Lu cried weakly before she blacked out.

Dana ran away form the house for about fifteen minutes and once she was in town she headed straight for the hospital.

Dana walked into RWHC through the free clinic doors and ran to find Lana.

"Lana we have to call the police!" Dana exclaimed as she looked at the receptionist.

"Dr. Stow what happened you look horrible!"

" Just do as I say! Lu's been kidnapped. Rand has her in the basement of his house. We have to save her. He had me there too but I got out so I could go and get help."

"OMG is she Ok?" Lana asked after she got off the phone with the cops.

"She's alive if that's what you mean."

"What should I tell Jonas he's here."

"Tell him that we have to go get Lu. That she's still alive and her injury's are severe but not live threatening. Tell him that I promise that I'll take good care of her."

Twenty minutes later the police were there and they picked up Dana and were speeding towards the place where Rand was holding Lu captive.

"What is her condition?" The officer asked Dana.

"He raped her and her face looked like he might of hit her."

"Is her injury's life threatening?"

"Not that I know of. She was alert when I left her. There's no way of knowing what he's doing to her now though. We have to hurry take this road its quicker."

The officer and Dana took the faster road and within twenty minutes they were speeding into the driveway of Rand Kindler.

"She's in the basement." Dana said after ten minutes of knocking on the door.

The officer broke down the door but instead of finding Lu in the basement he followed the sound of her screaming for help into the bedroom. Where he saw Rand performing crude sex acts on Lu and Lu scratching and hitting and kicking him to try and get him off of her.

"HELP ME!" Lu cried when she saw Dana and the officer.

The officer and Dana rushed over and while the officer was pulling Rand off of Lu, Dana was helping Lu to pull herself together.

"Are you ok sweetie?" Dana asked as she looked at her partners beaten face.

"Yeah Dana I'm fine….just peachy." Lu said with sarcasm in her voice.

**IN THE AMBULANCE!**

"Lu I'm so sorry. I swear I thought he wasn't going to be here."

"Its fine really Dana." Lu said in a bare whisper.

"Lu please it's all my fault and I swear if you don't want to ever talk to me again or if you don't want to ever work with me again I could transfer to county. Really I would understand." Dana said. Angry tears were falling down her face.

"Dana please stay. Stay with me please." Lu begged before she drew her legs up under her chin and refused to speak again until they reached the hospital.

Dana rushed Lu into the ER and after performing a rape-kit on her and after she talked to a rape counselor and a prosecutor she helped Lu into a room of her own.

"Here hun take this it will help you sleep." Dana said offering Lu two pills and a can of sprite. She hooked up Lu to a IV full of blood to replace the blood she lost and a normal saline solution to stabilize her vital signs.

"NO Dana! I'm not going to take anything I want to talk to Jonas." The swelling in Lu's face was beginning to go down and she was starting to talk more.

"He's downstairs I'll go and get him."

Dana walked down the stairs and to Lana's desk where he found Lana talking to Jonas about his wife's condition. Once she was through talking to Jonas she went to her office and sat at her desk. With her face in her hands she sat there and cried.

"LU! OMG baby girl what happened to you?" Jonas yelled as he ran into Lu's hospital room and hugged his wife.

"Jonas!" Lu screamed as Jonas ran to embrace her.

"What happened to you baby?" He asked as he held her gently in his arms and gently stroked her cheek.

"Jonas I can't talk about it."

"Don't make me ask Dana!"

"He…He…He….He….ra….ra….ra….raped me." Lu said and then she busted into a series of fresh silent tears.

"Who? Who did this to you?"

"Rand…Rand Kindler…." Lu said with hatred in her eyes.

The days that followed were the most trying and horrible days that both Lu and Dana had ever had to go through, Cop after Cop interview after interview. It wasn't that long but it seemed like forever because it was happening to them all over again.

_**  
Day Number Six Of Lu's Rape Trial **_

"Dr. Delgado VS. Rand Kindler day six of trial with closing statements." Judge Amy started as she shuffled through a bunch of papers.

"Dr. Lu Delgado has come to the stand for the second time in the last six years. This time is no better than the last. The accused Rand Kindler raped Luisa and although her rapist was not put away the first time he did it I'll be dammed if he gets loose again. We've heard the statement of Lu and of Dr. Dana stow who was also kidnapped, and she is also the one who did the rape kit on Luisa for the second time. I pray that you the jury see that Lu is telling the truth along with the evidence that was submitted that Rand is in fact Guilty. Please put this pervert away before he hurts someone else… That is all….thank you." Lu's attorney said as she approached the jury she was the last person that the jury would hear before they read the verdict.

"Thank you counsel. Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"We have your honor."

"May I see it?" The judge took a minute to look over the piece of paper before she handed it back to the bailiff.

"OK you may read it."

"In the 1st offence of kidnapping we the jury find Rand Kindler GUILTY!"

"In the 2nd office of rape we the jury find Rand Kindler Guilty."

"The Jury has spoke its piece. Rand Kindler I sentence you to ninty nine years to life in prison without the possibility of prole or dismissed."

"Thank you your honor." Lu said as Rand was escorted out of the cort room in cuffs.


	4. LU'S TROUBLES BEGIN

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter Four- **_Lu's Troubles Begin_

The days and weeks that followed the rape were extremely hard and trying for Lu, because she was an emotional car crash.

Dana seemed to bounce back pretty quick form her ordeal and was soon back to her normal everyday activities. Although Lu was still taking care of her patients, she was becoming depressed and she started doing things no one would ever believe she would do.

Lu started skipping meals and whenever she ate she would throw up. She felt she had to punish herself for what happened to her. So when she ate she would throw up and then if she still didn't feel satisfied she would cut her arms with a razor blade. Of course nobody knew that she was doing this because Lu hid it so well. The only clue was that Lu's once perfect one hundred and ten pound body began to was now becoming nothing in her quest to become perfect. She figured if she was perfect what happened to her would never have happened. So now she is forcing herself to become perfect so it will never happen again.

Jonas knew that something was bothering Lu but him being a guy and all didn't know exactly how to approach Lu about it and so he decided to just give Lu her space and that she would figure it out herself.

Four Months After The Rape

"Baby…" Jonas said to Lu one night at the dinner table. "I know something's bothering you. Could you at least clue me in as to what is going on?"

Lu just sat at her place at the table and picked at her turnip greens and green beans. She moved them around on the plate not letting an ounce touch her lips. Jonas sat there starring at her playing with her food.

"I just don't feel well OK?" Lu asked as she shoved her plate away.

"You have to eat something. You haven't eaten anything in the last two days and you have hardly eaten anything since you were raped four months ago!"

"Your right Jonas something is wrong."

"What is it?"

"What's wrong is I'm four months pregnant."

**  
The Next Day At Work**

"Dr. Delgado to the ER. Dr. Delgado to the ER please." The loud speaker yelled to Lu for the fifth time.

"Where the hell is Lu?" Kayla asked as she finished up on the patient they were calling Lu for and sent him up to the OR.

Lu was struggling in the bathroom tossing her breakfast. The difference was though that she wasn't making herself throw up the morning sickness was kicking in to high gear. She had been in the bathroom for two hours and every time she tried to get up and stand up she would throw up. She finally took her cell phone and called Dana.

"Dana!" Lu gasped as she struggled for air. The morning sickness was ten times worse that normal because she has an eating- disorder.

"Lu! What's the matter? Where are you your late!" Dana asked.

"Bathroom, 1st floor, by office, last stall." Lu said as she through the phone down and another wave of vomiting hit her.

"I'll be right there Lu."

Dana walked out of her office and to the bathroom to look for Lu. She found Lu huddled in the stall by the toilet vomiting.

"Lu what's the matter honey?" Dana urged

"Dana I'm pregnant. Four months pregnant." Lu began to cry.

"Do you think it could be his?"

"I'm afraid that it'll be his."

"All we have to do is take a blood test. We can do that before the baby is even born. We need to get Jonas's blood also but we have some on store. He donated some blood incase anything ever happened to you. We can be one hundred present sure."

"Yeah lets do that."

"Have you had any prenatal care or any check ups?"

"No I just found out last night."

"Let's get that done right now. Come on let's go to my office."

"I would but I can't stop throwing up!"

"I'll be right back." Dana said.

"Where are yeah going?"

"To get you a shot. It will immediately stop the vomiting. But normally if you don't eat morning sickness worsens." Dana said giving Lu a look that simply said 'I Know What Your Hiding.'

Dana went and got the shot and then gave it to Lu in her hip. Twenty minutes later Lu was laying on the exam bed in Dana's office getting an examination.

"You really should have gotten this done earlier Lu." Dana said. "We'll have to do some tests but your eating habits have caused your baby, a baby girl, not to grow properly. Your baby is about the size of a two month fetus instead of a four month fetus." Dana said knowing that Lu would want the truth straight forth.

"So…So what's going to happen?" Lu asked. It was as if all of her years of medical school had suddenly vanished form her mind.

"Well you have a choice. You could abort the fetus or you can start to eat right and have a chance of saveing this baby's life."

"I could never kill my baby. Even if it is his I could never do that."

"Then you have to start eating right and take vitamins. There are nor promises Lu. She's really small. But there is always a chance." Dana said as she handed Lu a tissue.

"We have to save her. Jonas and I have been trying to have a baby ever since we got merried. I want a baby more than anything in the world."

"Let's take some blood form the umbiblical cord of the baby, then we can see if the DNA matches Rand or Jonas."

__

"Hello RWHC Lana speeking ."

"Hey Lana this is Jonas is Lu around?"

"Yup she is but she's in Dr. Stows office and I've been told to hold all calls."

"OK well thank you Lana could you just tell her I called please she wasn't looking too good this morning."

"Will do Jonas."

"Alright Lana thanks!"

"Any time baby, anytime."

__

"Dana I don't know what I'm going to do!" Lu vented as she layed on the exam bed.

"Your going to eat right, come in for WEEKLY exams, and in five months you are going to give birth to a healthy, happy , bouncy, baby girl."

"I know Dana but what if it's his baby?"

"Try not to think about it. We'll have the results in about two to three weeks. The labs are backed up right now." Dana replied as she told Lu to role up her sleeve.

"Do we have to do this right now?" Lu asked as she pulled her arm away.

"I mean that's what we were going to do right ? Take blood so we can give the baby a DNA test?" Dana looked at suspiciously.

"Yeah but we already took blood form the unbiblical cord.Do we have to take blood form me today too?" Lu asked although she knew the answer.

"Well Lu as a doctor you know that we have to have blood form the mother and the baby before we can do the testing." Lu still had a look on her face and still refused to let Dana look at her arm. "Role up your sleeve for me." Lu looked down and then looked up at Dana with a pleading look in her eyes.

"What's the matter?" Dana went to reach for Lu's arm and Lu quickly pulled it away.

"What are you hiding Lu?" Dana asked

Dana gently reached for Lu's arm and then roled up the sleve of Lu's long sleeved shirt. When she did she saw deep gashes in Lu's wrist.

"Lu!" Dana whispered as she looked at Lu with a sad look on her face. She asked in a gentle tone ."Why?"

"(Lu looked at Dana.) I don't know umm. ….I just get so angry. After what what he did to me, again, and I don't wanta hurt anyone else." Lu said as tears ran down her cheeks.

"So you butcher yourself up with knives and razor blades?" Dana asked.

"Cutting myself is…. it's just a thing I do to feel better. It doesn't hurt Dana."

"Ok well um lets clean those cuts and then get you up onto the scale." Dana said forgetting about the blood she needed to take.

Lu hopped down and stepped up onto the scale. Dana messed with the weights before finally concluding….. That Lu weighed one hundred lbs and she would need to gain atleast twenty to thirty lbs before she could give birth to her baby. Dana finally got some blood form Lu and then she took the blood tests p to the lab and then she came back to Lu.

"Have you had your tetnis shot yet?"

"Yeah about five or six years ago, when I got a rusty nail stuck in my foot."

"Hold out your arm were going to give you a shot to make sure you don't get anything form those cuts." Dana gave Lu the shot and then cleaned the cuts again and applied Neosporin before she said Lu was free to go.

"Thanks Dana."

"I want you to go home and get plenty of rest, don't forget to drink an abundance of fluids and for Gods sake would you eat something? And if you need me…." Dana stopped and turned Lu towards her so that they were eye to eye. "If you need me please don't hesitate to call me! I know where you live and I could be there in ten minutes."

"I'm fine Dana, really, but I can't leave I have to take care of my patients." Lu protested.

"I don't have naymore patients for today. My last patient was at 3:30pm. I'll take care of them for you and since it's Wednesday night clinic I'll take care of that for you too."

"What about your childen?"

"Nick can take care of them."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. You need some rest your baby is depending on you."

__

Lu went home but when she got there she didn't go to bed like Dana had asked her to. Jonas was waiting for her at the door when she walked in.

"Baby I need to talk to you." He said as she walked into the door.

"Huh? What about?" Lu asked

"About the baby."

"Huh what about it?"

"I just want you to know that even if it isn't my baby we'll still love it and we'll care for it as if it were my own."He said as he placed his hand on Lu's tummy.

Lu snuggled into him and hugged him. She didn't want to tell him nothing about what was happening to her. She just wanted to savor the time she could spend with her husband without him being mad at her.


	5. LU GETS CAUGHT

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter Five**- _Lu Gets Caught_

_Disclaimer: I copied this scene off of one of the Strong Medicine episodes. It is almost word for word. But it fit so well in with what my story was about I went ahead and copied. Don't sue me I'm just a devoted fan. Parts of this scene belongs to Whoopi Goldberg and the other creators of Strong Medicine! I just added a few twists and turns. _

**Three Weeks Later**

"Ok so Lu you could still stand to gain a little weight, but your basics look OK, and why all of a sudden do you think you have hepatitis?" Dana asked Lu.

"Oh I feel fine. It's not me it's Jonas. We decided that we should both be tested, just to be on the safe side. I promised that I would go to an colleague doctor instead of just simply doing the test myself. He read somewhere how you can get it form eating fish and how it has been spreading like wild fire through our state and he thinks I look jaundice so I promised him I'd go see a doctor." Lu said as she rolled her eyes. After all she is a doctor too you know!

"Well the whites of your eyes look good, and your glands are not swollen, (Dana looked at Lu's hands which were palms up.) These are kindave orangey. (She stopped and thought for a moment.) Lu have you been eating a lot of carrots?" She asked.

"Well I mean carrots are good for you right?" She gave Dana a look.

"Well yes actually but if you eat too many of them you can get a condition we like to call beta-carotene overdose. Of course as you know its nothing to be afraid of but it can give your skin that orangey- yellowish color."

"Well um I've been on a carrots and mustard diet for a couple of weeks."

"What?" Dana asked gently she knew Lu had eating problems and she didn't want to support her dieting.

"Just so I can fit into my evening gown. Jonas and I are hosting a ball room fancy shiatsu being bang in a couple of weeks at our house and I have to fit into my dress don't I?"

"Well that's wonderful Lu, and I know how exciting ball room dances can be but a woman can't live off of carrots alone! She needs all of the proper nurturance and vitamins and she shouldn't be coming in at less that fifteen-hundred calories a day. Now when the blood work gets back we'll know for sure about the hepatitis but until then……"

"(cutting in) No more Bugs Bunny?"

"That's exactly it. You can get dressed now." Dana went to hand Lu her clothes and when she did heavy rocks fell out of her pockets and to the floor.

"What's this? Rocks?" Dana asked Lu…

"Oh um Marc he's a big rock collector. I forgot they were in there. Kids." Lu tried to cover up and act as if she thought Dana was stupid .But the question wasn't if Dana was stupid for believing Lu's cover up. The question is… ..Is Lu stupid enough to think Dana believed her cover up.

__

"Well Dana umm…. I came in today because I was wondering umm….. Well I know you're my mother's OBGYN and so I know that I can trust you right?"

"Of Course Falsity that's the matter?"

"I've been seeing this guy and we've been getting pretty serious you know?"

"Go on…"

"I was wondering if you could put me on birth control. I can't talk to my mom about it and well they won't sell it to me in the stores without a prescription because I'm not eighteen yet."

"I can do that for you but I really would urge you to talk to your mother first. Have you and this guy had sex yet?"

"Um well yeah we have." Falsity's face flushed a deep red.

"Did you use condoms?" Dana asked the thirteen year old girl.

"No they wouldn't sell them to me."

"OK well um can you come back in a couple of days? I have to check your file and make sure that the drugs won't make you sick or have a bad side effect on you."

"OK sure so I'll be back in two days. About the same time?"

"Yes that would be great….. And until then?"

"I know, I know." Falsity said as she rolled her eyes and Dana continued.

"No unprotected sex, you could get pregnant or worse you could get a STD."

"Ok I won't and you promise you won't tell my mom."

"Doctor patient privilege. Meaning I can't tell your parents anything you said here in this room., and meaning that if I did then you could sue me for breach of doctor patient confidentiality." Dana said as if she were quoting a text book.

"Thanks Dana." Falsity said before she walked out the door of the office and down the street to her boyfriend Eric's house.

"It's unethical!" Dana said as she and Lu entered the elevator.

"The don't do it!" Lu said shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't want her to get an STD !"

"Then do it!" Lu said again shrugging her shoulders.

"Just because she's my patients daughter doesn't mean I have a responsibility to protect her from STD's and pregnancy's."

"Oh lord forbid you get caught by the parents ."

"Or the ethics comity!"

"Their not going to catch you!" Lu said laughing.

"That's exactly what Karen Smith said as she leaned over my shoulder in 12th grade chemistry when she leaned over my chemistry exam demanding to see my answers."

"Oh! I can just imagine you as the girl hunched over laying down elbow out the imperishable role always having your nose stuck in the rule book," Lu laughed again and she and Dana exited the elevator and continued to walk.

"Well cutting corners may be your Philosophy of life but I don't…." Dana started before Lu broke in.

"I prefer to think of it as bending the rules thank you very much!" Lu corrected.

"Well say what you want but I still have to be on my toes so I don't have to be reviewed by the bored." Dana said

"Well so if this patient of yours has a mother who is your friend as well as your patient. Right?" Lu asked Dana giving her a weird look.

"Right."

"Well what's the use of having friends if they don't help you out in your time of need. Think of how much you'd be helping them. Just think do you really want to be delivering this teenagers baby. I mean she's thirteen she probably isn't even out of the eight grade yet." Lu reminded Dana.

"So your saying I'm being selfish by being honest?" Dana asked questionably.

"I'm just saying that it's not that big of a deal.! She's coming to you for help. I know what it's like to be young and pregnant and believe me it's no ball game. I would hate to have to see that little girl in that much pain."

"Well its still unethical."

"Who cares nobody's going to know."

"I'll know!"

"Nobody will know if you don't tell!" Lu shouted as she grabbed her coat and clocked out for the night. She was going home to have a nice relaxing evening with her husband.

__

Jonas and Lu sat down at the table for a dinner of salad and steak. Lu even though she was trying to eat more for the sake of the baby was still pushing her food around on her plate and not letting anything but plain lettuce touch her lips.

When Jonas was through eating he and Lu went into the living room to talk about plans for the baby and where her nursery was going to be.

"She's going to be so precious. She can have my study since it's the closest room to our bedroom. We can decorate it in pink and we can go out and buy all of the baby supplies and everything that were going to need." Jonas looked over at his wife who to him was looking a little pail and was staring out into space. Suddenly Lu fainted and collapsed onto the floor.

" Lu baby are you ok?" Jonas asked as he rushed to her side. When she did not respond he took out his cell phone and called 9-1-1 and then called Dana.

**AT THE HOSPITAL**

"Hi are you Jonas?" Dana asked as she ran alongside the Gurnee which the EMT'S were wheeling Lu into the ER on. Although she worked with Lu for along time she had never met Jonas her husband.

"Yeah that's me."

"Ok can you tell me what happened?"

"I don't know! She was doing fine. We ate supper and then we were talking about the baby and the plans for the nursery and she just fainted."

"She's ataractic , hypertensive, bps sixty over forty."

"OK ready guys on my count….one …two… and" Dana and the EMT'S lifted Lu off of the Gurnee and onto a exam bed.

"Lu it's Dana can you hear me?" Dana asked looking at Lu " Ok get me a CBS, hang a liter of normal saline and get me a CRET."

"Yes Ma'am"

" She's hypothermic we need some warming blankets to get her tempter up. (Then to Jonas.) Tell me what was going on when this happened?"

"Nothing we were just looking at baby magazines deciding what to do with the room that the baby is going to sleep in ." Jonas answered.

"CRET'S thirty she's anemic and it looks like she also dehydrated."

"OK do you ever see Lu eating?"

"Yeah she's picky though."

"Doctor this was in her purse." The nurse said handing Dana some pills.

"Diuretics ."

"I didn't know she was taking any medicine."

"This isn't medicine. Lu's heart rate is low so is her blood pressure, her body temperature is low, she's anemic, dehydrated, the orange skin is not form hepatitis the blood test I did confirmed that."

"Then what's wrong with her?" Jonas asked concerned.

"She's starving herself Jonas!" Dana said with a hint of anger in her voice.

__

Dana opened the door and walked into Lu's hospital room. She was so concentrated on saving Lu' s life that she hadn't realized until this exact moment how scared she was that she was about to loose her best friend.

"Hey Lu how are you feeling?"

"A little tired. I'm sorry I lied to you Dana, I'm so ashamed."

"Don't be. Be glad, glad that you no longer have to carry this secret around with you. Anorexia can kill you. But it can also be cured, as long as that's what you want."

"I do." Lu said her voice was weak and shaky.

"So how long have you been doing this to yourself?"

"I don't know."

"Do you remember why? I mean did you think you were overweight is that it?"

"I went on a diet. I don't remember why.."

"Was it the rape?"

"No before that, I just thought I could loose some weight that I'd look better and feel better about myself. So what happens now?"

"Well I'm going to try and get some nourishment back into you and then I'm going to set you up with an eating-disorders specialist so we can try and figure out why this is going on . And you and Jonas should think about postponing your party. "

"The party doesn't matter."

"Your health should come first I think so too."

"No I mean the party doesn't matter because all Jonas wants to do is throw it and tell everyone about the baby.. I'm so scared that I'm going to disappoint him. I'm so scared Dana that I'm not going to be able to do what's right to help my baby."

"Jonas can be very understanding I mean maybe I could talk to him."

"Don't he wouldn't understand."

"OK I won't, sweetie I'm your best friend and I'll be here for you no matter what."


	6. WE ALL HAVE OUR REASONS

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter Six- **_We All Have Our Reasons_

_Disclaimer: Everything you don't recognize is mine! This chapter features We Belong Together By: Myra Carry . _

"Jonas honey I'm fine!" Lu said to Jonas form her hospital bed. He was sitting in the hard plastic chair beside her bed holding her hand.

"Your lying Luisa. I can always tell when your not telling the truth."

"I'm just tired I didn't get much sleep last night and I'm worried about my patients. Their in Dana's hands until she thinks I can get out of here."

"Can't you discharge your own self?"

"No I can't because Dana's my doctor not me. Sux don't it."

"Yeah but mainly because I have to go on a business trip. And I hate to leave you here but it's mandatory. I can't skip this one."

"Again? Baby you were just on a business trip last month."

"Again , Sweetheart I'm sorry." Just then Dana walked in.

"Hi a Dana!." Lu said in a cheery tone.

"Hi how are you feeling this morning.?" Dana asked although for the truth of it Lu looked even worse than she did the night before.

"A little tired still but fine just the same." Lu gave Dana a genuine smile that said I'm not giving up no matter what.

"Lu do you really want to be in this hospital with strangers and work buddies or do you want to be at home where the maids and personal assistants can take care of you?" Jonas asked trying to get his wife to come home.

"Dana I…" Lu said trying to get Dana to end this conversation.

"Why don't we talk outside Jonas."

"Ok sure."

**Outside In The Hallway.**

" Jonas your wife is suffering form anorexia nervosa. A lot of people just think its about teenagers and trying to get thin but I can tell you it goes a lot deeper than that. Now I can help Lu physically and morally but emotionally….."

"I love my wife."

"Lu tells me that you spend a lot of your time on business trips and that a couple of times you even came home drunk. No offence but that's a funny kind of love."

"What we do in our own time is not a topic that I wish to discuss especially with strangers." Jonas said in a cool tone.

"Well Lu has been my friend for the last nine years and she talked to me about that topic. Jonas laying that kind of emotional baggage on her is not going to help her beat this disease !" Dana said in a heated tone.

"Lu doesn't have a disease. All she needs to do to get better is to eat!"

"It's not that simple!"

" All Lu is suffering form is poor judgment in her choices ."

"Jonas I know Lu loves you with all of her heart but this road she's on is killing her and she needs your support to find a way off of this dangerous road."

** Later That Night **

"Dana I'm sorry I shouldn't have been cross with you earlier. I'm just so worried about her you know? I don't want to loose her. Lu is very sick yes?"

"Yes, but were very lucky that we caught it early. It looks like she may have only had it for the last nine years, but it just now started making her physically showing sick. She could have died if we didn't catch it and you didn't bring her in. "

"You're a doctor you can help her right?"

"Like I told you earlier, we need to figure out why Lu is doing this to herself. A reason is locked in her head. She may not even know the reason."

"Is it the stress of the baby after the rape?"

"Lu's problems probably go back to way before she even found out she was pregnant. A lot of women who are raped suffer form anorexia so perhaps it was form the first time she was raped six years ago. I don't know. It could also be the way she was raised, things that happened in her life, her relationship with her parents. ANYTHING!"

**The Next Day In Lu's Hospital Room**

" It's called Guilt. These feelings probably started after Lu was raped the first time and then they continued even after she was recovered form the first rape. She must have felt that if she were perfect she wouldn't have gotten raped and so she began to strive to be perfect. Because nothing bad happens to perfect people. And Lu you already had a personality that makes you a risk factor for such things like anorexia, your hard working, beautiful, and you always fulfill the task's that are put on with perfection no matter how difficult they are." The therapist started.

" But I find those all beautiful qualities to be proud of!" Jonas interrupted.

" Well they are, sometimes, but Lu couldn't control any of those expectations except for her weight. Now I know this has been going on for along time but Jonas being away so much is probably the straw that broke the camels back."

"So your saying this is my fault?" Jonas asked angered.

"No, I am not saying this is anybody's fault, what I am saying is that….."

"It's my fault…" Lu said form her position on the bed.

" No Lu this is not your fault!"

"Yes it is! I should have known what I was doing was wrong. I mean I'm a doctor for crying out loud . I should have been able to prevent it but I wasn't. Now I have to pay the price to get better so I can go on with my life."

Dana just looked at Lu for a minute and then she looked at Jonas.

"What's going to happen to our baby?" Jonas asked.

"I don't know yet. Lu is having weekly checkups so she can be sure that nothing is going wrong but the baby is still too small. Lu is five months along and the baby is only about the size of a three month fetus."

"Because of the eating-disorder."

"It could be or it could just be a coincidence." Dana said although she and Jonas both knew that the reason the baby was dieing was because of the ED.

"What does this mean?"

"If Lu can carry the baby to term, the baby could be born with, a higher risk of SIDS, facial abnormalities, the baby could develop, breathing problems, heart disease. Shortened life span, and an mother with an eating-disorder has a higher risk of miscarriage than a mother without one." Dana said as she told Jonas the news .

"What's the chances that my baby will have all of this stuff?" Jonas asked.

"There is a fifty, fifty chance that she will come to term and be perfectly normal happy baby." Dana said with confidence.

"Then we want to abort the fetus." Jonas said over his wife's objections

"What?" Dana said " But I thought you all had been wanting a baby?."

"We have a baby. A perfectly normal happy three year old at home. I don't want to bring this baby into a world of pain." Jonas said firmly.

"Jonas I'm not going to kill my baby!" Lu objected.

"Then I am not going to be with you anymore. I want a divorce! I am not going to bring this baby into a world of hurt and pain."

" Fine I don't love you if you can't love all of me. This baby is part of me and if you can't lover her too than I don't love you."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Well fine then get out of my hospital room!"

"Your being very selfish Lu. I'll bring Alley to you along with her clothes and some toys. You can live here for all I care. I'll be in Paris if you change your mind."

"Fine Jonas just leave!"

Lu began to cry and she sat back down in fetal position on her bed. Dana walked over to her and wrapped her arms around Lu.

"It's going to be ok sweetie."

"I sure hope so."

"How are you going to care for your baby? I can't release you for at least two more weeks. Your very sick Lu."

"She can stay in the room with me. She can sleep in the same bed as me and I can feed her food form the cafeteria."

"Yeah but how will your baby feel growing up in a hospital while her mommy's getting poked and prodded every thirty minutes.?.?.?"

"We'll just have to cross that bridge when we get there I don't know what's going to happen. How long before I can return back to work?"

"I'm sorry Lu you have to wait at least two weeks. And I would like you to check yourself into the psychiatric unit."

"I can't check into the psychiatric unit Dana! I have to care for my baby. It's only for two more weeks and I have to make the best of it."

"Alley can stay over at my house. I could take her to day care in the mornings when I take my girls to school. She does go to the same daycare that Katie does anyway."

"Dana I appreciate your offer but what about my patients.?.?"

"Lu I am putting you on paid medical leave. I have already checked it with the boss and it's fine. He just wants to fix the problem that you have so you can go back to work."

"Dana I was raped I'm not broken."

"If you don't want to check into psychiatric unit will you at least talk to a physiatrist?"

"Of Course I will Dana. But if I am going to have to stay in the hospital anyway I would rather have my baby with me, than in daycare. She needs to be with her mommy. She hasn't gotten to spend too much time with me since the rape. I miss her."

"That's fine sweetie."

" Dana am I making the right choice?"

" Yes Lu I think you are making the right choice. But in the end it's up to you. No matter what happens it's you that's going to have to live with the consequences."

"Thanks Dana, I knew you would understand. I just can't kill her. I had a hard enough time three years ago when I though I was going to loose Alley when we were remolding the basement and I went into labor."

"I know sweetie I know what it's like to loose a child. I'm going to give you a homework assignment OK? I want you to write your emotions down on a piece of paper? Writing sometimes helps to get a hold of your feelings."

"Thanks Dana."

" Hey don't forget the physiatrist is coming by in about ten minutes to talk to you."

"I won't could you call the day care and check on Alley for me?"

" Sure but why?"

"No reason I just really miss her."

"Sure thing Lu."

**Ten Minutes Later**

"Hi my name is Emily and I am the physiatrist that Dr. Stow has sent to talk to you for today. So how are you doing?"

"I'm fine and yourself?"

"I'm fine, fine. So do you know why Dana wanted you to see me today?"

"Because I'm anorexic and she thinks I'm crazy."

"Well the first parts right. But she doesn't seem to think your crazy, on the contrary she speaks rather highly of you . "

"I know I was just kidding…..actually were best friends."

"Do you have any children?"

"I have a twenty one year old son Marc, a three year old daughter Alley and I'm expecting right now."

"Oh really how far along…."

"About five months."

"Babies are so sweet. Does Alley know yet?"

"Not yet we wanted to see how things went first. …….." With those simple words that Lu spoke Emily knew what the problem was. What she had to find out was how to fix it.

**Lu's Thoughts**

_I didn't mean it when I said I didn't love you no, _

_I should have held on tight I never should have let you go, _

_I didn't know nothing, _

_I was stupid, _

_I was foolish, _

_I was lying to myself, _

_I couldn't have thought that I'd ever be with ought your love,_

_Never imagined I'd be sitting here beside myself, _

_Cause I didn't know you, _

_Cause I didn't know me, _

_But if I'd have know everything, _

_I'd never felt, _

_The feeling I'm feeling now that I don't here your voice, _

_Or have your touch and kiss your lips cause I don't have a choice, _

_Or what I wouldn't give to have you lying by my side right here cause baby, _

_When you left I lost a part of me , _

_It's still so hard to believe, _

_Come back baby please, _

_Cause we belong together, _

_Who else am I gonna lean on when times get ruff?_

_Who's gonna talk to me on the phone until the sun comes up?_

_Who's gonna take your place there ain't nobody else oh baby baby, _

_We belong together. _

_Can't sleep at night when you are on my mind, _

_Bobby Womack's on the radio singing to me, _

"_If you think your lonely now" wait a minute _

_This is too deep , Too deep ,_

_I gotta change the station, _

_So I turn the dial trying catch a break, _

_And then I hear baby face,_

"_I only think of you." as breaking my heart, _

_I'm trying to keep it together,_

_But I'm falling apart, _

_I'm feeling all out of my element, _

_Throwing things crying, _

_Trying to figure out where the hell I went wrong, _

_The pain inflicted, _

_And this song ain't half of what I'm feeling inside,_

_I need you need you back in my life baby!_

_When you left I lost a part of me, _

_Its still so hard to believe, _

_Comeback baby please, _

_Cause we belong together, _

_Who else am I gonna lean on when times get ruff?_

_Who's gonna talk to me on the phone until the sun comes up?_

_Who's gonna take your place their ain't nobody else oh baby baby._

_We belong together. BABY! _

_When you left I lost a part of me, _

_It's still so hard to believe, _

_Comeback baby please, _

_Cause we belong together, _

_Who else am I gonna lean on when times get ruff?_

_Who's gonna talk to me on the phone until the sun comes up?_

_Who's gonna take your place their ain't nobody else oh baby baby, _

_We belong together!_


	7. DIFFICULT DECISIONS

_**For The Love Of A Child**_

_**Chapter 7- **Difficult Decisions_

"How are you feeling today Lu?" Dana asked as she walked into the room and saw Lu snuggled up with Alley asleep.

Dana, not wanting to wake her partner, gently checked her vital signs and hung another bag of medicine on her IV pole then she left, smiling at the sight of her partner and her baby girl. She looked form Lu to Alley and then though "God girl you look so much like your Mommy it's scary."

"Uh…uh… uhahaauh Mommy! Mommy!" Alley cried.

"What's the matter sweetheart?"

"Never mind. I just had a bad dream Mommy." Lu checked her watch and saw that it was 9:00am and that she, even though she had to stay put all day, should get up and take care of her baby girl.

"Are you hungry Allison?"

"No ma'am. I miss Daddy. When is Daddy coming back?"

"He'll be back in a couple of weeks remember?" Lu asked smiling at her daughter.

"Where did he go?"

"He went to Paris. On a business trip. Maybe if you're a lucky little girl he'll bring you back a present."

"Really?" Alley asked her eyes suddenly lit up.

"Yeah really." Lu began to silently cry inside of herself. 1t had only been a week but she missed Jonas so much that she could hardly live with herself and what's worse is that her three year old little girl was having to stay at the hospital with her twenty-four hours a day because her Daddy wasn't around.

"When can we go home mommy? I miss my bedroom and all of my dolly's and books."

"I don't know sweetie." Lu said truthfully although she knew that Alley couldn't possibly be getting all of the care she needed staying in a hospital room. " Hop up let me brush your hair." Lu said determined not to let her little girl see that anything was wrong.

"How come?"

"How come what?" Lu asked, she finished brushing out Alley's hair and pulled it back out of her face into a pony tail.

"How come you don't know when were going to go home?" Allison said as she gently turned around and began to play with Lu's hair.

"What do you want to where today?" Lu asked as she got up and began looking through the cloths that Jonas packed for their daughter.

"Care bears."

"You wore your care bear outfit yesterday."

"Well then I want to ware my Barney outfit!"

"OK come here let me get you dressed." Lu very carefully turned off the I'V and gently pulled it out of her arms. Then she dressed her baby girl in her Barney blue jeans, barney long sleeved shirt, and then her Barney socks and shoes. Then she replaced the 1V needle in her arm and turned the machine back on before Dana could come back and yell at her.

"What do you want to do today Mommy?"

"Well we could play flash cards or memory or we could practice our ABC's. Or we could play Barbie's ." Lu suggested.

"OK sure." Alley hopped off of the bed and looked under the bed. When she came back up she had a heavy case full of Barbie dolls and accessories. She opened the case, took out two Barbie's each had brown hair and brown eyes, and a lot of clothes, brushes, shoes, purses and Barbie jewelry. Then she dropped the now closed case back onto the floor and handed her Mommy the dolly with the hospital scrubs on.

"You get to be Amy. I'm Jenny Amy's little sister."

"OK." Lu and Alley played Barbie's for about twenty minutes before Dana came back into the room and looked at Lu amused.

"What are the two of you doing?" She asked Alley. Kayla was right behind her.

"Mommy's playing Barbie's with me. She's Amy am I'm Jenny Amy's best friend."

"That's cool!" Kayla exclaimed.

"Well Alley how would you like to go to the park and play and get some breakfast while Dana gives your Mommy a check- up?" Kayla asked the small child.

"OK sure!" Alley exclaimed as she hopped off of the exam bed and ran over to Kayla. " It is OK right Lu?" Kayla asked.

"It's fine have fun sweetie!" Kayla and Alley walked out the door hand in hand.

"How are you feeling today?" Dana asked Lu.

"Much better can I return to work yet?"

"Well I have to weigh you, take some blood, and you have to eat, you can't get out of here until you begin eating again and practicing proper eating habits."

"OK sure when do we start?"

"Right now." Dana said as the Eating-Disorder specialist came in with a tray of food. She handed the plate of food to Dana.

"Do you want to stay or should I?"

"I'll stay." Dana said as she laid the tray on the table and looked at the ED Specialist. "She'd feel more comfortable if I was here." The specialist left and Lu began picking around at her food.

"I want you to eat at least five bites of each thing." Dana said as she sat down.

"Do WHAT?" Lu asked alarmed there must be at least six thousand calories on that plate alone. No way was she going to eat it at all.

"Lu you need to eat at least five bites of each." There was bacon, eggs, a biscuit and gravy, and hash browns.

"How bout two bites of each?" Lu asked trying to bargain .

"Three and that's my final offer." Dana said, looking sternly at Lu.

"Two and a half." Lu begged as she ate two bites of each thing thinking at least Dana would leave her alone about it. "I'm through."

"Lu! Think about your baby!"

"I am thinking about her."

"You need to eat baby girl. If you don't your baby's not ever going to be able to even see the light of day Lu, every time you skip a meal your putting your baby at an even higher risk." Dana calmly explained.

"Dana I can't help it. I can't control it anymore!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't control what I eat or don't eat."

"Lu I want to help you but I can't help you if you don't want to be helped."

"I'm going to call Jonas's mother to see if she will take Alley for a couple of weeks. I've realized that I can't give her all of the attention and care that she needs when I'm stuck in the hospital. That's why I am so glad that Kayla took her out today. A little girl needs sunlight she doesn't need to be stuck in the hospital all the time."

"Ok that would be good. I don't think she's too happy lately anyway."

"I know, she really miss's Jonas. I don't know what to do anymore."

"Send her to her grandma's while your focusing on getting better. Then when your out of the hospital you can get her back and go home and take care of her."

"I don't want to send her away Dana."

"I know you don't sweetie, but you have to focus on yourself. I know this is going to be hard for you because your always giving all of yourself to everyone else and don't really ever focus on yourself, but we can get through this."

"We?"

"Yup, I'm here to help you Lu with whatever you need.!"

"Thanks, Dana, I am going crazy with guilt. I need to be with my patients and family that way I won't feel it anymore."

"You can't go back to work unless you get better honey! We need to get you strong again so you can take care of your family and your patients."

__

**At The Park**

"Kayla how come Mommy can't come home?" Alley asked, tears were filling her big brown eyes. She and Kayla were at the park eating breakfast.

"Sweetie your Mommy's sick she has to stay at the hospital for a little while so your Aunt Dana can make her all better."

"What's the matter with her? I want her to come home so she can tuck me in my bed and read me stories and play in the pool with me."

" Well sweetie, your Mommy has a problem and she is working hard so she can fix it, but she has to get help." Kayla explained.

"But why? I want her to come home!" Alley cried

"Do you want to go and play sweetie?"

"No ma'am."

"Well what do you want to do?" Kayla asked. Alley was now finished with her breakfast and was looking at her with tear stained eyes.

"I don't know."

"Why don't I swing you on the swing?" Kayla asked desperate to change the subject. She didn't want the baby to feel sad.

"OK." Alley said as she jumped up and raced towards the swings ."I'll beat you there !" She yelled laughing as Kayla ran after her, their troubles forgotten.

Kayla pushed Alley on the swings for about twenty minutes. She was laughing and playing and then Kayla lifted her off of the swing and began to walk with her in arms back towards the bench so Kayla could go and get her jacket.

"Are you ready to go back to your Mommy sweetheart?"

"Yes Ma'am." She began to cry again and so Kayla picked her up and gave her a big hug.

"Look there's nothing to cry about sweetie what's wrong?"

"I miss my daddy." Alley cried into Kayla's shoulder.

"It's ok baby he will be back soon."

"I want him to be back now!"

"I know but he's at work."

"First my daddy leaves me and now my mommy's going to leave me too." Kayla said she cried into Kayla's shoulder. And Kayla's heart broke.

__

"Sweetie how was the park? Did you have fun playing with Kayla?"

"Yeah we had lots of fun Mommy. Kayla pushed me on the swings."

"That's good.!. I'm glad that you had fun."

"Will you braid my hair Mommy?"

"Sure sweetie." Lu was just glad to have something to do. This sitting around all the time and doing nothing but go to therapy and going to group was starting to get on her nerves, She hated just sitting around doing nothing.

Lu took Alley's hair down and brushed it out. Then she began to French braid the girls hair. Alley sat patiently and played with her baby doll.

"Sweetie how would you feel if you went to spend the night with your Mamaw?"

"That would be fun I haven't seen Mamaw in a really long time!"

"I know!"

"How long would I get to stay with her?"

"A week or two just until I get better and we can go home!"

"No Mommy I want to stay with you!" Alley suddenly began to cry and clinging to her Mommy with all of her strength.

"What's the matter sweetie you don't want to go see your Mamaw?"

"No Mommy no! No leave me mommy no!"

"Sweetie I'm not leaving you. You would just be going and staying with grandma for a few days until I can get better. The hospital is no place to bring up a young lady."

"Do I have to Mommy?"

"Mommy would like you to."

"OK then if I have to!" Alley exclaimed as she clings to her Mother as if she was never going to see her again.

"Thank you sweetie."

Lu and Alley walked out of the room and to the nurses station where she could use the phone. (Your not allowed to use cell phones in hospital rooms. )

"Hey mom (Jonas's mom)? Yeah this is Lu….I was wondering if you could do me a huge favor…" Lu began as she picked up Alley and sat her on the counter. Alley began to play with the tubes that were dangling from the pole and going into her mom's arms.

"Of Course dear what is it that you need?"

"Jonas and I had a fight and I'm in the hospital. I was wondering if you could come and get Alley for the week, she's had to stay with me in the hospital for the last week because your son is on a business trip and couldn't take her."

"Of course I could come get the little angel! I've been wanting to see her for the longest time! How old is she now?"

"She just turned three years old on February 5."

" Oh dear I missed her birthday we'll have to go shopping once I pick her up won't we?"

"I'm sure she would love that."

"Can I talk to her?"

"(handing the phone to Alley) sure."

"Hey Mamaw's girl how are you doing sweet pea?"

"I fine Mamaw. I get to come and see you?"

"Yes you do I'm coming to pick you up right now and I'll be there in one hour. When I get you were going to go shopping for your birthday."

"Oh Cool! Can we go to Toys R Us? I love that huge toy store!" Alley exclaimed as her eyes lit up and a huge grin played across her face.

"Anything you want darling. Ok Mamaw's going to go now ok sweet pea?"

"Ok Mamaw I love you!"

"I love you too, bye!"

"Bye Mamaw!" Alley gave the phone to Lu who hung it up and then Lu carried Alley back to her room where she began packing all of Alley's clothes.

__

"OMG LU! What in the name of peppermint swirls happened to you?" Jonas's mom exclaimed when she saw Dana and Lu walking towards her. Lu's hair was perfectly brushed but she was wearing pink plaid pajama's and had a IV pole with three different bags on it connected to her wrist. Dana was holding Alley and toting her bags.

Dana looked at Lu and Lu looked at Dana and then they silently agreed.

"Hi, I'm Dana Lu's best friend and doctor."

"What's wrong with her is she OK?"

"I'm fine really." Lu said before she gave Dana the OK to tell her mother in law what was really going on. Dana handed Alley to her grandma before she continued.

"Why don't we talk in my office it's a lot more quiet in there." Dana said.

The three women and the one baby went into Danas office. Dana sat at her desk and Lu's mother in law and Lu sat in the seats right on the other side of the desk. Alley sat in her grandmas lap.

"What Lu has is an eating disorder called Anorexia Nervosa. She is currently working with a treatment team to help and cure her Anorexia but it's going to take a long time."

"How long are we talking about?"

"Well I could have let her go last week but because of the baby I have to keep her in here for longer until I make sure she's eating and doing things right for the both of them."

"The baby what baby?" Lu's MIL asked.

"You didn't tell her about the baby?"

" I guess I'm going to have to now." Lu said giving Dana a look like 'Sometimes I could just strangle you.'

"What baby?"

"I'm five months pregnant."

"That's wonderful!"

"Yeah peachy."

"You don't seem to thrilled Lu is something the matter?"

Dana and Lu shared that look again that said I'm too upset to talk about it but you can tell my mother in law if you feel its right.

"Lu's baby is very sick. It , another girl, isn't developing like it should be, and because of the Anorexia we have to work extra hard to make sure that Lu doesn't miscarry. That's why I want her to stay here for a while so I can monitor her."

"What exactly is wrong with the baby?"

"She has the symptoms that would normally anorexic pregnancy's, small babies that aren't developing properly. Her baby, at the last check-up when she checked in, a week ago, her baby was about the size of a three month fetus instead of a five month fetus."

"What can you do to fix the problem?"

"We just have to wait and see. The baby is growing, just not at a normal pace." Dana said trying to be optimistic.

"She's like a daughter to me if anything happened to her I… I don't know what I would do. I love her and Alley so much!"

"She'll be fine."

"What is all this medicine you have her on in those tubes?"

"A warming solution, and then just medicines to help her gain weight."

"And it won't hurt the baby."

"Nope its perfectly safe."

Dana and Lu looked at each other. They both knew the truth about the baby's condition and they were hoping for a miracle .

"Well thank you for your time Dr. Stow. I better get on. I have a date with a certain three year old little girl at Toys R Us!" Alley's grandma picked her up and then picked up her suitcase.

"Bye angel. Mommy loves her sweet girl."

"I love you too Mommy."

"Take care of yourself Lu."

"Don't worry I will and if I don't Dana will make me.." Lu kidded in an undertone voice.


	8. SACRIFICES

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter Eight**_- Sacrifices _

"I'm fine honey I swear!" Lu said with emphasis into the telephone. They still hadn't made up but his worry for his wife got the better of him.

"Are you sure your fine?" Jonas was worried and it showed.

"Joe the baby's not due for three more months! The baby that you don't even want ! Now stop your worrying!"

"Call me after your check up tomorrow."

"Why do you want me to call you? Your divorcing me over the baby anyway. Don't you have a conference or something you need to get to?" Lu's anger towards her husband was beginning to wheal up inside of her.

"Look I'm trying here ok?"

"I know you are. But what I said two weeks ago still stands. If you can't love my baby then you can't love me."

"Anyway be careful. You just got out of the hospital. No heavy lifting."

"I know Jonas!" Lu said hotly " I'm a doctor too!"

"OK well I have to go…bye!"

"Good- Bye!" And with that Lu snapped her flip phone closed disconnecting the call.

Lu laid on the couch and placed her hands gently on her stomach. Her stomach had grown so much in the last two weeks since she had been in treatment for anorexia. Her once perfectly flat stomach, now looked as if she had swallowed a watermelon.

She turned on the radio to try and distract herself form the stabbing pains in her belly that she would never tell Jonas or Dana about. Her favorite song was playing and she got up and began to dance around the room. (She figured that a little motion would calm the restless baby down.) With no such luck she laid down on the couch again. Anyway she was use to these pains. Soon Lu fell into a restless sleep.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Lu's pager went off in a series of eleven quick beeps. It was two thirty am.

"Auh shit!" Lu said as she realized that her pager was all the way on the other side of the living room.

Lu got her purse and rummaged around in it until she found her pager. When she saw who paged her she got dressed in large scrubs and headed to the clinic immediately.

"Savannah how in the world would I know where Jaden is?" Lu asked. She was shocked that Jaden her thirteen year old patient for the last ten years was missing.

"I thought she would have come to you. You were her favorite babysitter. And look at this paper that I found in her notebook!" Savannah handed Lu a piece of paper written in black glittery gel pen. A thick heavy rain began to fall.

My Very Screwed Up Life

By: Jaden Hanson

As I sit here,

As I cry,

As I wish that I could die,

I sit here thinking of you and,

Of all our happy memories,

You're my sister,

You're my friend,

We'll stick together until the end,

As I feel my life is ending,

All fucked up deformed and bending,

You sit with me here and say,

This pain will eventually fade away,

No matter what I say or do,

You've always been a real friend true,

As I cut,

As I fear,

As I bleed,

I fear the hot burning tears,

Running down my face,

I have to make myself pay,

I'll die another day,

As I watch the blood,

I feel the rush of pain,

Every time I get angry,

I feel the need to purge unending,

And cut myself until I bleed,

To kill myself and,

Get rid of all these unhappy memories,

You won't understand this now,

You told me I should write this down,

It hurts so much,

I'm on a very long road that's never ending,

I'm laying in a meadow of grass all green,

Trying to see the good in me,

But it's not working,

I cannot see,

The way that you all want me to be,

I try so hard to fight the pain,

But every time I try and gain,

I feel the urge to purge away,

I want so badly to be,

The way that you all see me,

Loving, happy, healthy, and caring,

But it's not worth it,

Dare I say,

I'm letting go more and more each day,

It's got total control over me,

It runs my life,

This stupid ED,

You're my best friend,

And I love you dear,

I don't want to hurt you with all my tears,

I'm gonna draw a picture,

A picture with a twist,

I'll draw it with a razor blade,

I'll drew it on my wrist,

And as I draw this picture,

A fountain will appear,

Washing away my sorrow,

Washing away my fears,

The pain will disapear,

It will be gone forever,

Forever so will I ,

I'll be lost in a world of fear and doubt,

Where I'll be monitored each day,

And never again will I ,

Be able to make the pain go away.!

OMG Lu gasped as she finished reading the last of the poem, tears were falling down her eyes but not angry tears, sad tears. She couldn't believe that the sweet little thirteen year old that she use to baby-sit everyday could be in this much pain.

Lu read and re red the poem and looked at the pictures of a bridge and a car with a huge x through it. Twenty minutes later she came to her conclusion.

"It's a riddle!"

"Do WHAT?" Savanna asked shocked.

"It's obvious! Jaden ran away. She's on a bridge that has no cars on it. There's water under the bridge." Lu looked at Savanna suddenly inspired. She's confused like she's trying to make up her mind. There's a narrow worn out bridge an half hour form here. It all fits come on we have to go!" Lu exclaimed. She reached into a desk dower and took out an extra set of scrubs from before she began to bloom, and a blanket form the dower of the examination table. Savanna looked at Lu like she was crazy.

"Lets go! If she crosses the state line we'll never find her!" Lu screamed as she pulled on her coat , mittens, and scarf.

"She oviously thinks she's going to the city, she's scared because she doesn't know what to do. It seems as if she's trying to make an important decision." Lu said as they drove down the road in a speeding amount of time.

"Why would she run away?"

"I don't know Savanna I really don't know. Here we are." Lu said as she made one final turn and stopped at the base of a very narrow very tall bridge with icy water underneath.

Lu grabbed her flashlight form in the dash of her car, and even though her unborn baby was protesting she began to climb the bridge, calling Jaden's name.

When Lu reached the top and Jaden was no where in sight she shone the light down into the water. After twenty minutes of searching she saw a small dark figure with bluish white skin floating in the freezing water beneath her.

All at once without really thinking of the consequences Lu ran back to the bottom of the bridge. And after removing her jacket, scrubbs, socks and shoes she dove into the freezing cold water and swam towards Jaden.

Lu finding it very difficult to swim with her new found lump where her stomach use to be swam with great difficulty out to where the young girl was floating, freezing.

'Oh Jaden!' Lu thought to herself as she swam back to shore dragging the ninety five pound body behind her.

When she got back to shore she laid Jaden flat on her back and began to manually pump her stomach of all the water she injested.

Jaden began to cough and sputter but she didn't wake. Lu picked the young girl up and laid her in the back seat of her car. In the car she took off the child's wet clothes and replaced them with the extra dry clothes that she had brought. Then she wrapped the girl in the big blanket, and pulled her scrubs back on.

Lu began to give Jaden chest compressions and mouth to mouth resuscitation. Because she had stopped breathing. All the while Savanna just stood there looking shocked not moving a mussle.

Jaden began to stir and her breathing became shallow and steady. Lu turned Jaden on her side and then called the hospital to let them know they were on the way.

"Hello RWHC ER!" Kayla answered in her most profesional tone.

" Hey Kayla this is Lu. Have a gurney waiting for me outside the ER doors OK?" Lu said in one clear breath.

"What's wrong is it the baby?" Kayla asked.

"No it's a patient of mine. Thirteen female, ninety five lbs, I she has hypothermia. She jumped off of a bridge and into the freezing water. I've pumped the water from her stomach and given her CPR and her breathing has regulated but she still hasn't waken. We'll be there soon." Lu said all in one fast tone.

"Yes ma'am."

Lu watched Savanna watching her daughter for a moment and then after making sure that Jaden was still breathing she took off into the night.

"Will she be OK?" Savanna asked not sounding too worried.

"I don't know we'll just have to wait and see." Lu said as she drove faster than usual.

_**Twenty Minutes Later**_

"Female, thirteen, attempt at suiside, she's anemic, and hypothermic, hang one normal warming solution IV and one normal B+ blood, from the looks of her wrists jumping off of the bridge wasn't the only thing she did! Hook her up on a venelator and get me a CT scan STAT!" Lu said as she ran alongside the gurney.

"We've got it Lu!" Kayla said understandingly.

Lu stopped and let them run ahead while she and Savanna went into an abandoned waiting room.

"Lu is she going to?"

"I don't know!"

"Then what the hell do you know?" The angry mother asked as she grabbed Lu by the shoulders and shook her hard.

"I know that if I wouldn't have jumped in the river after her she would be dead." Lu said as she pulled out of the mothers grip and slapped her in the face. "I have to go and check on Jaden you need to wait here."

"Lu! Lu are you OK?" Dana ran up to Lu in the ER and held her at arms length looking her over.

"I'm fine Dana it's my patient that I'm worried about!"

"You could have gotten yourself and your baby killed." Dana wrapped a warming blanket around Lu's shoulders, and Lu realized for the first time that she was freezing.

"She could have died Dana."

"She still hasn't woken up yet." Dana said gently

"Who called you anyway?" Lu asked annoyed

"Kayla."

Lu was walking into Jaden's room to give her a check up and Dana her loyal friend followed her.

"Her vital signs are improving!" Lu said defienciavly " I couldn't just let her die."

"You could have died."

"It doesn't matter as long as I saved her."

"That was a very brave, but very stupid thing to do."

"You wouldn't understand."

Lu and Dana walked into Dana's office and continued to argue.

"Your so selfish! You didn't even stop to consider the health of your baby!"

"What exactly are you not saying?"

"I'm saying you don't even care about yourself or that baby. That water is freezing that means it is cold enough it could have killed you and your baby within seconds." Dana said in her way that said ' I'm a busy know it all.'

"Dana look OK? I'm fine! The baby's fine I can feel her moving around!" Lu said as the baby gave a praticualy hard kick, catching it's Mommy off guard and making her gasp.

"What's the matter Lu?" Dana asked as she saw the look on Lu's face.

"Nothing….nothing I'm fine." Lu said trying to cover up the sudden pains in her stomach. She began to fear every pregnant mothers worst fear.

"Let me check on the baby. You have an apt tomorrow anyway."

"Fine but make it quick I have to check on Jaden." Lu said as she hopped up onto the exam bed.

Dana listened to the baby's heart and did a normal check up to ensure the baby's safety. She didn't want nothing to happen to it.

"What's wrong Dana?" Lu asked struggling to sit up and see the screen.

"Nothing it's just odd."

"What's odd?"

"Nothing."

"DANA TELL ME!"

"Your baby's still too small." Dana knew that the chance of this baby surviving was slim.

Lu sat shocked with her knees under her chin. Her long tan arms were wrapped tightly around her ultra thin legs. If it wasn't for her watermelon stomach you wouldn't even be able to tell she was expecting. Her stomach was pounding but she still sat that way in the chair beside Jaden's bed talking to her patient.

"Jaden you should have came to me and told me what was going on!" Lu said once Jaden woke.

"I couldn't have I didn't want to endanger you."

"You wouldn't have sweetie."

"Why did you come and rescue me? I wanted to die!"

"I couldn't have just left you there! I've been takeing care of you since you were born."

"Your so stupid Lu you could have killed your baby."

"But I didn't and I saved you."

"I wanted to die Lu!"

"No you didn't can you tell me what happened?"

"Lu I'm so sorry!"

"Sorry about what sweetie?"

"He said he'd kill me if I told anyone."

"Told anyone what?"

"Do you promise not to tell?"

"Yes baby I promise."

"Daddy raped me, three months ago, later I found out I was pregnant." Jaden stopped and started to cry. And then she corrected herself. Today I found out I was pregnant. I didn't want anyone asking questions so I got an abortion. Lu. Here at RWHC. " Jaden said as she cried and cried.

"Daddy said if I got pregnant he would wait until I was just about to have the baby and then he said he would knock me down the stairs."

"Jaden what you did was horrible and unexcuaseiable but what made you decide to take your own life?"

"I just didn't want to be apart of it anymore. He had been doing this to me since I was eight years old." Jaden laid on the bed and cried uncontrollably.

"Oh Jaden…." Lu said as she walked over to the bed and took the ninety five pound girl in her arms. "Your just a little girl… you didn't know what to do and you were scared. It's not your fault." Lu hugged the child as her baby gave a painful kick that Jaden felt.

"Lu I felt her! I felt your baby kick!"Jaden said shocked.

"Yeah I felt her too." Lu said softly.

"Does that hurt?"

"Does what hurt?"

"The baby kicking."

"Yeah it does but it's a joyful pain.Its something that you get use to"

"I could have felt my baby kick." Jaden said regretfully, as she played with the hospital band on her arm.

"Jaden don't blame yourself. You didn't know whatelse to do."

"I can't deal with the guilt Lu. It's my fault that my baby died. I'm the one who paid for him to be murdered. I'm the one who paid the money." Jaden picked up a scalpel form in a nearby dower and before Lu could stop her she slit her wrists deep.

"I need a gurney in here! And a nurse too!" Lu said into the call button.

"Right away Lu."

Lu fought with Jaden and wrapped thick bandages around her arms to stop the bleeding. Until she could get to the ER to have them stitched up.

"Jaden killing yourself isn't going to bring you baby back!" Lu screamed as she lifted Jaden onto the gurney and rolled her to the ER.


	9. A TIME FOR HEALING

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter Nine**- _A Time For Healing_

"Savanna I need you to sign custody of Jaden over to someone other than yourself and your husband, I don't want CPS to get involved."

"I don't want the little liar anyway. Who would I sign her over to Jaden has no living relatives other than myself." Lu had just told Savanna what Jaden had said.

"I would be willing to adopt Jaden. We could keep it quiet and there would be no reason for CPS to get involved."

"You wouldn't call CPS on me!"

"Your daughter needs help! You've just told me yourself that you never want to see her again. I'll adopt her then you won't have to pay court costs and she won't be in the system because mark my work Savanna if she stays with you CPS will get involved."

"No strings attached? Your not gonna get me up for child support or something are you?" Savanna asked with hatred.

"Swear?"

"I swear. I just want the best for my patient!"

"Ok I'll sign the papers giving you legal mothering of her and bring them to you tomorrow. But don't expect to see me again after that! Jaden needn't come by and pick up her things. All she has is the clothes on her back anyway." Savanna said as she walked in a huff out of the clinic and down the street.

"Jaden honey how are you feeling today sweetie?" Lu asked Jaden as she walked into Jaden's hospital room .

"I'm OK I guess."

"I'm thinking of releasing you tomorrow. If your health stays up."

"Where am I gonna go?" Jaden asked

"Well do you want to go back and live with your mommy and daddy?"

"No I hate them! Its my mom's fault that he raped me anyway!"

"Well sweetie you don't have to."

"What!" Jaden asked surprised.

"Do you want to come home with me and live with me, Jonas and the two babies?"

"OMG LU! I WOULD LOVE THAT!" Jaden yelled as she rushed to hug Lu.

"I can help you but only if you want help." Lu said as she checked Jaden's arms where she had cut herself. "Your mom and dad signed custody over to me and now , if you want to that is, you can come and live with me, now you're my legal daughter." Lu smiled.

"I would love that Lu!"

"Gosh I hate my mom! She is the whole reason this all happened!" Jaden said beginning to get angry again and again.

"You can talk to me about anything you know that right?"

" I know Lu."

"Tisk…your arms aren't getting any better were going to have to put liquid stitches on them. And your going to have to have plastic surgery if you don't want some nasty scars."

"You know what Lu? I'll do it again, and again, and again until finally something works." Jaden said with such anger that it scared Lu.

"Jaden please I think you need to see a shrink." Lu said

"I'm not talking to no shrink Lu." Jaden said as she began to cry.

"It really helps sweetie….It helped me…"

"You… you were raped?"

"Twice, by the same guy, once six years ago and again six months ago."

"Is the baby his or Jonas's ?"

"I don't know to be honest. But it's not that important."

"You can deal with it Lu. I can't I'm only thirteen years old. I had no other options. At least you didn't kill your baby."

"I'm going home in a little while and your going with me, I want to keep an eye on you. We can talk more later."

**Later at Home**

Long after Jaden was asleep in her new bedroom Lu lay wide awake, tossing and turning in her bed, unable to get comfortable.

About twelve am Lu sat up in bed. Her stomach was cramping like mad and sharp pains were shooting up her spine. There was a wet stickiness in between her legs which turned out to be blood.

"Oh shit." Lu thought to herself as she struggled into the shower to wash the blood away, and put on some clean clothes.

She was now cleaned up, struggling to breath she laid back down on the bed. Her water had broken and she knew that she was going into premature labor.

Lu had called Dana on the phone before she showered and told her the situation. Before she knew it Dana was holding her hand and wiping her face with a cool cloth.

"Your fully dilated Lu…..The baby should be here soon."

"Is there anyway to stop it? It's way too early!"

"This baby's coming sweetie there's nothing I can do to stop it."

Lu was breathing deeply, tears were falling down her face in an attempt not to cry aloud. She didn't want to wake Jaden . Or Alley who she had just gotten to sleep a few hours previous to this.

"UGH!" Lu screamed as a huge contraction washed over her like fire and left her gasping for breath.

"OK Lu honey I see the baby's head. Now on three I need you to push as hard as you can." Dana coached Lu. " One…..Two…." But Dana never got to three because on two Lu let out a huge scream and pushed with all of her mite.

"OK Lu honey the baby's head is a little stuck. I need you to let me help you walk around. Walking around will help the baby get unstuck since I can't very well do surgery without the proper equipment."

Lu tried with great difficulty to sit up. Dana helped Lu to walk around the room, stopping ever so often when a fresh contraction would hit Lu causing her to gasp and to double over in pain. They did this for about half an hour.

"It never hurt this bad before. With Marc and Alley it never hurt this bad." Lu said as she once again doubled over. Dana helped her lye down on her bed and after several long minutes told her to push again.

Lu was crying now and her temper was as hot as a volcano. She knew better than to panic, but despite her attempts not to, panic began to set in. Marc was born thirty minutes after her water had broken. Alley had been born fifteen minutes into labor. It had been three hours and the new baby still wasn't here. She held her breath and tried not to scream her lungs out.

"Lu honey I need you to breath……breath deep and PUSH!"

"I can't Dana!" Lu screamed she was breathing every breath ragged and hard.

"You have to Lu! You can't give up now you baby is depending on you!"

Lu pushed again as hard as she could she felt tired and she felt as fatigue as if she had run a marathon. Despite this fatigue she pushed again.

"OK Lu good honey. I can see the hairline." Dana said softly as Lu bit her lip and pushed again. The baby's head slowly slid out. " Ok good sweetie relax for a minute."

Dana got a nose dropper and sucked all of the liquid out of the baby's mouth and nose. She then gently supported the baby's head.

"Dana what's the matter? What's wrong?" Lu asked panicked when Dana told her to relax. She forgot that what Dana told her to do is routine.

"Nothing Lu. Try and calm down…. I just need to slip the cord form around the baby's neck. There we go. Ok now we have to deliver the baby's shoulders. With each contraction I need you to push. But don't forget to breath."

"I KNOW WHAT TO DO DANA! I'M A DOCTOR TOO DAM IT!" Lu screamed. Her stomach felt as if a million people were beating her with sledge hammers. She was scared and she felt like she was going to pass out.

Lu was socked to the skin in sweat. Her beautiful brown hair was tangled and matted. Her breathing began to slow and her eyes, tear-filled began to close.

Lu could hear Dana's voice. It sounded like it was a million miles away but she could hear it, calling her back into caution ness .

"Lu? Lu focus! Lu? Lu follow my voice." Dana cried as she wiped Lu's face and neck with a icy cold cloth, and gently slapped her face.

"W- what ?" Lu asked, she was beyond pain, beyond terror, and beyond exhaustion. It was this pain that caused her to black out.

Another contraction hit and Lu bit her lip so hard that blood squirted into her mouth to keep form screaming out as she pushed again and again with each contraction unit the shoulders were delivered.

Another contraction flooded over Lu and she pushed her longest hardest push using the last of her energy and the rest of the baby slid into Dana's arms.

Dana's face suddenly paled and her expression became weary. She clamped and cut the baby's unbiblical cord and then after slapping the baby across the butt several times she began rubbing the baby and talking to her.

"Dana what's going on huh?" Lu asked as she struggled to see what was happening. "Is she ok? Is my baby OK?" Lu yelled almost in hysteria.

Dana preformed infant CPR on the baby and she was still rubbing the baby and talking to her. By rubbing her she was restoring the blood circulation. Slowly the baby began to regain color. Dana patted the newborns back and in no time at all, but what seemed like forever of Lu's hysteric screams and a non responsive baby a slow faint cry filled the room.

Lu was in a full blown state of hysteria trying to find out what happened to her baby but after checking the baby's heart, to find a nice strong beat, Dana wrapped the baby in a pillowcase and handed her to her mother.

"Nothing sweetie she just had a little trouble coming into this world." Dana lied as she watched Lu holding the tiny baby.

"Are you ready to finish up here?"

"I'm ready." Lu said taking a deep breath.

The contractions continued although they were somewhat less painful than before. This went on for a few minutes before Dana delivered the placenta by gently tugging on the unbiblical cord.

Ten minutes later Lu and Dana were sitting side by side on the bed waiting for the ambulance who was stuck in traffic to come and take Lu and her new baby to the hospital. Each were crying but for different reasons.

"Are you ok Nay Nay? Lu asked Dana referring to her old nick name. Lu who was feeding the baby breast milk and just as she asked the realization hit her that both she and the baby would be dead if it wasn't for Dana."

"I'm fine Lu, just a little shook up that's all." Dana (although she had delivered thousands of babies) had never been so scared in all of her life.

"You look exhausted Lu why don't you go take a shower and clean up? I'll change the bed sheets and then we can go to the hospital together." Dana told Lu as she gently took the baby and held her in her arms.

"I'm sure honey. A warm shower will help warm the body aches. The baby will be fine."

Lu went off and showered and Dana after gathering some supplies went to the guest bathroom and gave the baby a nice warm bath. After bathing and dressing her she wrapped her in a pink receiving blanket and went back into Lu's room.

Lu was already dressed and out of the shower by the time Dana carried the dark haired, dark eyed baby girl into the room.

"There now don't you feel much better?" Dana asked smiling down at Lu.

"A little anyway." Lu answered as she smiled warmly at Dana.

Dana handed Alexis gently to Lu before getting clean blankets and sheets and making the bed. She threw the dirty laundry in the laundry hamper.

"Lu it's five thirty. Do you want me to call the hospital and tell them to cancel all of your appointments for today?"

"Oh…Shit Dana I'm so sorry I've made you late I know how you like to be on time."

Lu quickly threw on her socks and shoes and then went to setting up the car seat while Dana and the new baby went to wake Jaden.

"Jaden sweetheart time to wake up!" Dana said as she gently shook Jaden.

Jaden sat up and rubbed her eyes. Then turning to Dana she asked

"Who are you?" in a quiet shy voice.

"I'm your new mom's partner Dana."

"Why are you here?"

"I'm here because your new mother, Lu, called me last night. Her water broke and she didn't have time to get to the hospital so I came over and delivered your new baby sister for her. Your baby sister was born early this morning." Dana said smiling at the baby.

"She's beautiful may I hold her?"

"Of Course! But first get dressed while I go and wake up Alley. Then meet me and Alley in the hall and you can strap the new baby into her car seat."

"Dana I don't have anything to wear!"

"It's ok sweetie go and talk to Lu. Believe it or not before Lu got pregnant she was a size zero too." Dana said remembering when they first met so long ago and then the even scarier times over the last few weeks when Lu's weight took a sky dive.

Holding her new baby sister suddenly made Jaden very sad so she gently handed the baby back to Dana and then rushed to get dressed.

Dana, holding the new baby, walked into the next room and gently woke up Alley.

"Baby!" Alley exclaimed when she saw the new infant.

"This is your baby sister sweetheart. I need you to get dressed for Aunt Dana. You get to come to work with me and your mommy today."

"Oh cool!" Alley exclaimed.

Alley quickly dressed and within minutes they were all dressed and ready to go to the hospital. Jaden gently strapped the baby in her car seat, and then helped Ally buckle her seat belt. Jaden hopped up front with Dana and Lu who insisted on sitting next to her baby sat in back.

**About Ten Miles Down The Road**

"Dana! Hurry!" Lu exclaimed as she watched her baby and quickly un-strapped her.

"What's the matter?" Dana asked quickly pulling over.

When Dana turned around she saw Lu feverishly trying to resituate her little girl. A few seconds later the baby began to cry. Lu held her up a certain way so that she could breath better.

"She stopped breathing. We have to hurry Dana." Dana speeds off towards the hospital and just a few seconds later she was at the ER.

"Lu you take her in. I'll take care of the kids. Take her straight to NICU they'll find out what's wrong." Dana instructed as she could see Lu starting to shut down.

Jaden and Alley walked with Dana through the ER and to Dana's office.

"Jaden how are you at baby-sitting?"

"Um I'm not very good with kids."

"Would fifty dollars change your mind?" Dana asked as she opened her office doors.

"Sure. I guess."

"OK I need you and Alexis to stay here in my office then. Just make sure she doesn't get into anything. There are some toys in the closet."

"Don't worry Dana we will be fine."

Dana ran out of her office and straight up to the NICU. When Dana arrived at the NICU she found Lu in the nursery talking to and starring at her little baby who's tiny fist was grasped around Lu's pinky.

"Are you OK Lu Lu?" Dana asked coming up behind Lu and hugging her.

"I'm fine. She's not though." Lu began to cry and suddenly felt very weak . She fell backwards against Dana causing them both to fall.

"Lu! Lu are you OK?" Dana asked.

"I'm fine sorry Dana." She said, getting up and going back to her baby.

"Michaela will you please go tell Lana Hawkins in the clinic to call and see if Kayla can fill in for Lu today even though it's her day off." Dana told Michaela.

"Lu I would like to admit you. Your exhausted."

"Dana I need to be with her. I need to be with my baby."

"Lu what's wrong with Alexis?"

"It's nothing too serious. She was just under developed and she'll have to stay in NICU for a few weeks ." Lu said she was crying all over again.

"Lu she'll be OK. We'll put her on medications, and keep her in this incubator until she gets better." Dana said as she gently stroked the baby's tiny cheek.

"She won't be OK Dana. She's sick and it's because of me that she's sick. She is underdeveloped because I have an eating disorder. You all tried to tell me! You tried to warn me and I wouldn't listen. Now look at her.!.!"

"Lu it's not our fault! You didn't even know that you were pregnant until just two months ago." Dana tried to hug Lu but Lu pushed her away.

"Because of my problem my baby may die." Lu said so soft that Dana could barley hear her. She began to cry herself. She hated to see her friend like this.

Soon after a tall lady with a nice pair of jeans and a sweater on came into the office. She needed to talk to Lu.

"Mrs. Delgado?"

"It's Lu call me Lu." Lu said without even looking up.

"My name is Tarry Jenkins. I'm form the state of PA's CPS."

"Please ma'am she's exhausted she's in no fit shape to talk."

"I need to talk to her about some charges that were alleged against her when she brought her daughter in earlier."

"Charges? What the hell are you talking about?" Dana asked outraged.

"Someone called and said Lu tried to kill her baby and in doing so she set herself up for premature labor."

"Lu would NEVER try and kill her baby!" Dana said in a angry hushed tone.

"I would like to talk to Lu alone."

"She's in no fit state." Dana started before Lu broke in. " No really Dana it's ok let me just get this over with. Dana please stay with the baby. Tarry let's discuss this in my office. It's much quieter in there.

Lu and Tarry took the elevator down to Lu's office and sat on the couch.

"So um what is this about?"

"An anonymous person tipped up off that you may have been trying to kill your baby, and instead you went into premature labor. Can you tell me what happened?"

"Nothing happened. I went into labor at midnight last night, I called my doctor who also happens to be my best friend and she came and delivered my baby. We had planned a home delivery." Lu said out of defiance.

"Why is your baby so sick?"

"Well besides being born six months early?" Lu shot back.

"Besides that."

"She was premature she didn't have time to develop properly. And she was born to a mother with an eating disorder."

"Which eating disorder do you possess?"

"Anorexia, before I got pregnant I only weighed ninety five lbs. During the pregnancy though I weighed one hundred and ten pounds."

"How does Anorexia affect pregnancy's?"

"It could cause increased risk of SIDS, increase risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, mental retardation, and premature labor."

"What are the chances that the anorexia could affect the baby?"

"fifty, fifty."

"And you willingly, knowing these risks conceived a baby, fully understanding what could happen?"

"No…"

"Are you saying you didn't conceive this baby that you just gave birth to?" Tarry gave Lu a look like are you crazy?

"No I'm saying I was raped. I wouldn't have consented to unprotected sex knowing what would happen to the baby."

"Do you have proof?"

"LOOK LADY! I THOUGHT THIS WAS ABOUT MY DAUGHTER!" Lu said loosing her temper.

"Lu I know your upset, but this is about your daughter. If this problem isn't resolved we will have to take her into custody."

"The proof is in my medical chart, and I am currently in treatment for my anorexia. There is even proof in my chart that the day I was raped is the day my baby was conceived. And that she is Rand's sperm not Jonas's." Lu rummaged through her desk and threw a thick file at Tarry.

Tarry looked through the folder making an occasional remark like" mhm" and "I see" Then she handed the folder back to Lu.

"Are you married Mrs. Delgado?"

"Yes."

"How long?"

"Three years"

"Do you have any children besides this new baby?"

"Yes I have a twenty-one year old son Marc, a thirteen year old adopted daughter Jaden and a three year old daughter Allison."

"Whenever you found out you was pregnant how did you react?"

"I…I was scared because I was just raped."

"How do you feel now?"

"I'm scared because my daughter is upstairs struggling for her life and you have me down here answering your damn questions!"

"You must be really concerned then?"

"Yes I am. May I go now?"

"If your not willing to talk we'll have to take her Lu."

"I'm not a bad mom! I went into premature labor because I'm anorexic! Even during my pregnancy I could ware a size three normal clothes when before I wore a double zero. I was so small that were luck the both of us aren't dead!"

"Did you try and get rid of your baby?"

"No! I didn't try and kill my baby! I couldn't help she was born so early."

"Did you want this baby?"

"Of Course! If I didn't want her I would have given her up for adoption but I could never have killed her!"

"Well I have to talk to your and the baby's doctor, but besides that everything else seems to be in order. You may return to your baby now."

"Thank you." Lu said in a bitchy irritated tone.

"Your welcome. I hope I don't have to regret my decision. You seem like a stable normal descent person."

Lu sat in the nursery with her baby that night and all of the next day. She talked and sang to her. And when the nurse would allow her, she held her baby and rocked her.

"She's so tiny Dana!" Lu cried as she placed the newborn back in the incubator.

"She's doing a lot better Lu.!.!. She's gained four ounces. I would like her to weigh at least six lbs before I release her to go. She's going to be fine Lu. " Dana said as she smiled at her best friend.

Jaden and Alley had been staying with Dana. Jaden began to slowly slip into a greater depression. She came to the hospital by night and by day she voluntarily took care of Alley and Katie.

Lu was still staying up in the nursery with her baby as much as possible.

"Lu hunny you have to leave at some point!"

"I can't, I can't leave her." Lu said so sadly that Dana had to look away to hide her own tear stained face.

"Lu it's been five days. Your already anorexic and you haven't slept or eaten anything in five days! Your exhausted Lu let me admit you. You need rest and food!"

"Food, or the lack there of, is the reason my baby is like this." Lu said as she starred down at the tiny baby, who was looking back at her with big brown eyes.

"Have you called Jonas yet?"

"I'm so ashamed! Dana It's my fault that she's like this!" Lu hid her face in her knees.

"Lu your baby's going to be fine! Three more weeks and you'll be able to take her home and hold her in your arms."

"I'm so scared Dana."

"It'll be OK…..everything will be ok!" Dana said trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince her patient Lu.


	10. ONE YEAR LATER

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter Ten- **_One Year Later_

Dr. Lu Delgado sat in the window of her townhouse bedroom and starred out at the January sunset. She watched the snow fall and day dreamed about when she lived in her small two bedroom apartment and would look out the windows to see groups of co-ed teenagers huddled together to stay warm against the brisk January wind.

'It's so quiet in here.' Lu thought to herself. Event though Brittany , their one year old daughter, and Alley were playing gracefully down stairs with their big sister Jaden, It was too quiet somehow and it chilled her.

Even though she was still discovering form her eating-disorder Lu had begun to do better. She was eating and she wasn't purging or cutting so much, she just flat out wasn't eating. She still had a case of depression, but since came home safe and sound not even that was so horrible.

"Guess who?" Jonas asked playfully. He and Lu had made up and now they were both caring for Kimberly , which turned out to be perfectly normal.

"Jonas cut that out!" Lu scolded playfully. Even though she was laughing.

She laughed as she hopped out of the bay window and chased her husband around the bed and playpen, down the hall and the stairs until they both collapsed on the couch laughing.

"Ma! Ma! Ma! Ma! Ma! Ma!" Brittany cried excitably as she ran over to her Mommy and Daddy. She wanted to play too.

"You wanta play?" Jonas asked his daughter before Lu could answer.

"Da! Da! Da! Da! Da! Da!" She cried happily lifting her arms to be lifted up.

Jonas picked up his baby girl and lifted her up high over his head and ran with her

"Be careful with her Jonas!" Lu warned she hadn't quite gotten over what had happened a year ago. She still was overprotective of her little girl.

Lu sank onto the couch and pulled a heavy pillow over hear head which began to throb painfully.

"Ma! Ma! Ma! MA! Look!" Britt cried

"I know baby doll I see you." She mumbled. Today was not one of her better days." What time is it?" Lu mumbled grumpily.

"Seven pm." Jonas said, looking at his watch.

"Shoot! I'm gonna be late! I told Dana I would go back to the clinic, something about one of her patients. Can you please watch the kids for me?" When Jonas said sure Lu jumped up and began putting herself together.

Lu hurried to shower and pulled on a pair of Mudd Jeans and a thin black Mudd sweater. Lu pulled on her jacket and tennis shoes, gave Brittany and Alley a quick hug and kiss and then ran out of the door in a split second.

"Do you see what I see?" Dana asked Lu as they stood side by side looking at the x-rays of internal damage and broken bones.

"It looks like abuse to me. How old is this patient of yours?" Lu asked concerned.

"He's six years old. His mother said he fell out of a tree house this morning, but I think there could be something else going on." Dana said as she looked at the x-rays.

"How's Katie doing?" Lu asked trying to lighten the subject a couple of hours later.

"She's fine. She has a little cold though. How's our Miracle baby?" Dana asked. Ever since Brittany had come home in perfect health a year before, that was her nick name.

"She's fine. She's going to start coming to Day Care here at the clinic form now on. I want to keep an eye on her."

"Lu honey don't you think your being a little too protective of her?"

"No."

"Oh yeah Hon you have an appointment tomorrow. I have to do your weekly checkup."

"Do I have to Dana?"

"Yup you do."

"What time?"

"After we go to lunch….Remember we have a lunch date?"

"I remember Dana."

"Just wanting to make sure."

__

Jonas and Lu lye in bed, cuddled in each others arms. They stayed like this until they were sure they wasn't going to get any interruptions and then they began passionately making out. (Maybe even a little more than that.)

"Oh Jonas!" Lu screamed as they rolled around on the bed kissing and panting.

"Mmmmmpppppphhhhhh, oooooohhhhh, mmmmmmmppppphhhhh!" Jonas said as they kissed each other all over. "I want you to have my baby."

"I've already had your baby twice!" Lu said smiling.

"Again, lets do it again! Lets try for Britt and Alley a little brother or sister!"

Jonas and Lu continued making love before they pulled apart and lye on the bed breathless. Lu smiled at Jonas warmly.

"They have a big brother and a big sister." Lu said catching her breath as they connected again and began kissing and making out all over again.

"Not by me." He said as he pushed himself inside of her and moaned again. " You always said that you want a big family." Jonas kissed and kissed her.

"Jonas I'm scared. I almost lost one baby due to my eating disorder. It wouldn't be wise to get pregnant again. I couldn't risk my baby's life like that again."

"Nothing's gonna happen."

"I have an appointment with Dana tomorrow." Lu started.

"And if everything's ok then we can have another baby?" Jonas asked with a smile.

Lu and Jonas played around for about a half hour more, before they snuggled close and fell asleep in each others arms.

"Ma ma! Wahhhhh! Ma!" Brittany cried. It was four am and she was burning up.

Lu unwound form Jonas and then rushed to her youngest daughters room.

"God Brittany your burning up!" Lu took her baby's pajamas off and sat her in a bathtub half full of cool water.

"Mommy I no feel good!" Brittany cried as her mommy sponged her off with the cool water.

"It's OK baby. Here let Mommy dress you." Lu said as she lifted the baby out of the tub and dried her off.

"I hot mommy!" Britt exclaimed as her mom put a diaper and a tea shirt on her.

"I know baby. I know."

Lu took the baby's temperature and it came out one hundred and one point five degrees. Lu gave Brittany baby aspirin and a bottle full of juice, then she rocked her crying child in the rocking chair in her room.

That is exactly how Jonas found them. Cuddled up in each others arms, together in the rocking chair. The birds were singing and the sunlight beamed in form the window making them look like angels.

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter Ten Part Two- **_The Accident_

Lu, after telling Jaden where she was going, hurried to strap her two smallest daughters into their car seat. Ignoring Brittany's screaming and crying. It was late and Lu was beyond stressed. Jonas had left that morning for ANOTHER business trip and would be gone for two weeks. Jaden was too young to baby-sit overnight (by the state law) and so Lu had to take the two children with her when she was paged 9-1-1 form the clinic.

"Please stop crying Brittany!" Lu tried to coax her youngest daughter while she threw the diaper bag in the back seat floor board.

"It's no fair mommy ! I don't wanta go bye bye! I want to stay with Jaden!" Lu's four year old daughter Alley protested.

"No go bye bye!" Britt agreed. It was true that Lu had to wake Alley and Brittany up when the pager went off. It was an emergency. Lu made sure that the babies were properly strapped in and then she shut the door. A heavy icy rain began to fall.

"Ma! MA! MA! MA! MA! MA! MA!" Britt cried loudly as she tried to get her mothers attention.

"Alley honey please see if you can get your sister to stop crying!" Lu requested.

Alley began to play with Brittany and her toys and for a moment the child stopped crying but soon she began crying again.

"She's not stopping mommy!" Allison informed her mother.

"It OK sweetie try and go to sleep."

"Yes Ma'am."

"Brittany honey please stop crying! The rains really bad and mommy's trying to drive."

"MA! MA! MA! Go home! I want sissy!" The baby cried sadly.

"Sissy's at home doing her homework."

"Jay-Jay! Jay-Jay! Jay-Jay crying ma ma!"

"She's not crying she's at home just fine!" Lu reassured the baby.

"No she's not Mommy! Something really bad's going to happen to Jaden Mommy because she's really sad." The four year old piped up.

"Kids your sister's at home. Were not going back home! Now GO TO SLEEP!" Lu said as she was careful not to miss her turn.

"Mommy! Turn the car around now Sissy's in trouble!" Alley yelled at her mother and Brittany was shrieking like someone was killing her.

Lu looked at her daughters through the rear view mirror. Their faces were blotchy and red and real tears were falling down their faces.

"Stop yalls fussing do you want me to tell your daddy?" Lu said although she was beginning to worry.

"No ma'am." Allison said although she and her sister was still crying.

"How about when we get to the hospital I'll let you call your sissy."

"OK!" The little girl said gloomy.

In the split second that she was looking at her daughters her car hit an icy patch of water and her car began spinning out of control.

The driver in the other car couldn't have seen Lu struggling to get her car under control, but the fact that he was drunk as a skunk didn't help things. He hit the back of Lu's car at full speed and made her fly forward and hit the windshield.

It took Lu a second to regain cautions , but when she did she unbuckled herself and went straight to the back seat to check and see if her babies were ok.

"Babies are yall OK?" Lu checked her daughters over. There was not a single bump, scrape, or bruise on either of the children. "I'm so glad that you two are ok."

"Mommy you have an ouchie!" Alley cried.

"Mommy's Ok sweetie. Stay in the car, and help mommy watch your baby sister."

"OK!" Alley agreed happily.

Lu saw the person who hit her standing next to a very old car.

"What in the hell do you think your doing?" Lu screamed as she approached the badly damaged car. The drunken man was standing beside it.

"Who are you?" He asked her.

"I'm the lady with two babies that you almost ran over." She thought of all the horrible things that could have happened to her babies.

"You shouldn't have been in my way bitch!" The man yelled at Lu.

"Your not safe to drive besides your car is totaled." Lu said realizing that she and her two babies could be dead right now.

Lu got out her phone and called 9-1-1 reporting the accident.

"An ambulance and a police officer will be around in about five minutes." Lu left the man and went over to the car to see that her two children had fallen asleep.

"Please lady don't press charges. If the cops put one more DWI on my file my car will be impounded."

"Well maybe that's the best! You could have killed me and my two children." Lu said in a calm voice.

"You need help." Lu realized for the first time that her head was pounding. When she placed her hand on her for head she realized that it was bleeding.

"South Philly PD!" An ambulance and a police officer rolled up.

"Officer there's no lasting damage. Neither of us are hurt or want to press charges. Except I do have one request."

"What is that Mrs. Delgado?"

"I want this man in rehab and I want him to stay behind bars for a few hours until he can sober up. He could have killed us!"

"That sounds reasonable."

Lu signed the papers saying that she was not to press any charges. Then she jumped back into her car and split. The bleeding in her head was worsening, but she had to get to work. Someone had paged her 9-1-1. Soon Brittany woke and began to fuss again. Lu sighed and drove on.

"Brittany PLEASE STOP FUSSING!" Lu said in an amused but irritated tone to her youngest daughter.

"NO!" Brittany yelled even louder as she held her arms up to be lifted.

"Brittany I'm driving!" Lu exclaimed she saw the road she needed, quickly turning off, thanking God she had finally reached Philly. What was normally a twenty minute drive had wound up taking over an hour, due to the accident. Her head was pounding worse then it had before as she pulled into the parking lot and parked in her normal spot.

Lu un-strapped the two children and pulled the double stroller out of the trunk and sat them in it. Grabbing her purse and the diaper bag she locked her car and pushed the children into the hospital.

"Kayla! Honey what are you doing?" As she came upon a friend of hers who happened to be an ER doctor.

"My shift ends in about thirty seconds and I was going to go home." Then Kayla noticed that Lu was bleeding. "OMG! LU what the heck happened to you?"

"We were in an accident and my head hit the windshield. No big deal. My babies are OK and that's all that matters now." Lu said as she looked down at the sleeping babies.

"Let me fix your head up it will only take a second." Kayla said as she followed Lu into her office.

"Really Kayla it's OK but I do need a favor."

"Sure lay it on me. What do ya need girl?"

"Could you keep an eye on the children for me? Their sleeping they wouldn't be any trouble at all."

"Sure no problem now come your little skinny self over here and let me fix your head up!" Kayla demanded as she found the liquid stitches and cleaning supplies.

"Ok fine but no-shit Kayla I really need to find Dana." Lu said as she pushed the children's stroller over towards her desk and gently laid the children in the play pen.

Lu sat down and let Kayla clean and stitch up her head.

"Ok I'm going to apply a general anesthetic so you don't feel any pain. Then I'll clean you the cut and stitch you up."

"OK Kayla I know I'm a doctor too remember? But please hurry Dana needs me. She paged me 9-1-1 form her cell phone."

"OMG Lu didn't you hear?" Kayla asked as she started stitching up Lu's head.

"Ouch! Hear what?" Lu yelled . Her head wasn't numb yet.

"Sorry Dr. Delgado!" Kayla waited a couple of minutes and then finished the remaining twenty five stitches.

"Hear what?" Lu asked again sitting perfectly still, on the exam bed.

"I can't believe nobody told you!"

"(With an attitude) Told me what?" Lu asked getting annoyed.

"Dana had an accident."

'What kind of an accident?"

For along time Kayla didn't speak. Then she looked Lu in the eye.

"Dana was brought in here about an hour ago. She was pretty beaten up. She came in by ambulance. She called and asked us to go get the kids. Their asleep in her office."

**In Dana's Office**

"Annie! Annie! Annie!" Little Luisa cried as she tossed and turned on the large fold out couch that was very comfortable.

"What's the matter sissy?"

"I had a bad dream Annie!"

"What was it about sweetie?"

"What daddy did to mommy."

Annie scooted over and took her little sister firmly by the shoulders so that they were face to face.

"You saw what daddy did to mommy and you didn't tell me?"

"I sorry sissy! I know I was suppose to be sleeping, but I had a bad dream. I went to mommy's room, but they were gone and so I went to the living room because I heard them talking."

"Then what happened Lu Lu?"

"Daddy hit mommy and knocked her down to the floor. She didn't move so he…he took out his knife and cut her on the arms and on the neck. He kicked her and a few seconds later she closed her eyes." Luisa was now crying.

"Then what Lu Lu?"

"Daddy saw me and I ran and hid behind the couch. I was scared he would do to me what he did to Mommy. Daddy left and then I called 9-1-1, because that's what Mommy always told me to do if some got hurt then I paged Aunt Lu like Mommy taught me to do. Am I going to get into trouble Annie?"

"No, No you won't get into trouble. Where's Mommy at? How did we get into the hospital?"

"Kayla and Peter came and got us."

"Hey you two. What are ya'll doing awake?" Kayla asked as she walked into the office. To check on Dana's three children.

"Lu Lu had a bad dream Kayla." Annie said as she tucked her little sister back into bed and then went and sat next to her.

"Are you OK now Lu Lu?" Kayla asked the small child.

"Yes ma'am" She noticed that Kayla was holding a small baby.

"OK try and go to sleep sweetheart. I'm going to go put Brittany back in with her sister now that she's asleep again too."

'Lu's computer desk is HUGE' Kayla though to herself a few minutes later once the baby was back in the play pen. Annie had followed her into Lu's office and was hesitant to go back to sleep.

"Kayla where's Mommy?" Annie asked , snuggling into Kayla's lap.

"She's still in surgery hon."

"Is she gonna be OK?"

"I don't know baby. We'll have to wait and see."

"I know what happened. Lu Lu told me." The young girl had sad tears falling.

"You should try and get some sleep."

"No! I want to see my Mommy!"

"Darling your Mommy had to have an operation. She'll be out of surgery in about two hours so you will be able to see her when you wake up in the morning. Don't worry. Your Aunt Lu and some of my other friends are taking real good care of her." Kayla said trying to convince the ten year old.

"Kayla I trust you. Can you go and help my Mommy too?" The young girl looked up at Kayla and at once she knew what her answer would be.

Kayla walked up to the OR and scrubbed in after Annie fell asleep.

"This is really deep no wonder she passed out!" The surgeon exclaimed as he stitched up Dana's neck and arms. "Does anyone know what happened?"

"Five year old little girl witnessed the whole ordeal." Kayla answered.

"Are you sure she's a witness?"

"Uh huh" Kayla was watching the surgeon work.

"She'll have to talk to the police if Dana decides to press charges."

"Is she old enough?" Kayla asked perplexed.

"Well state law says you have to be six or older. But every city has their own laws." The surgeon finished up and washed his hands.

"Will she be OK?" Kayla asked. There was a fear and strain in her voice.

"Let's wheel her up to recovery. She's stable for the moment but the next twenty four hours are the most crucial. How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine why do you ask?"

"Should I count the reasons? Number one, one of your good friends is in crucial condition and may not make it through the night, Reason two, you've just pulled a double shift and now your babysitting for five kids, and reason three, you look like hell!"

"Oh thanks a lot Mr. 'I'm the best looking guy in the world.' I'm fine you really don't have to worry none about me."

"Their fine. All five of them are asleep. Luisa was pretty shook in up over this whole event. All Annie wants to do is see her Mommy, and Katie's really to young to fully understand what's going on."

"Little Luisa sounds pretty brave."

"She is believe me. Do you know she's the one who called 9-1-1?"

"Let's make sure her mother lives to see her little hero.

__

In a moment of despair over the brutal decision she made to terminate her pregnancy over a year ago fourteen year old Jaden stole her step-dads gun and took a bus the twenty miles to RWHC where the abortion was preformed, and where her new mom was with her baby sisters. With the gun in her pocket she climbed the outside stairs until she was on the roof.

Making sure that nobody followed her she walked over to the ledge and held the gun to her own head. And without a moments hesitation, she pulled the trigger.


	11. THE TALK

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter Eleven_- _**_The Talk _

Jaden screamed and dropped the gun. A loud bang had gone off but yet nothing had happened. Jaden fell over onto the roof and scrambled to get up.

'What's going on?' Jaden thought to herself. 'I had the gun pointed straight at my head I should be dead now.'

Peter Riggs and Lu Delgado who had heard the **BANG** rushed up to the roof to see what had happened. To their surprise they found Jaden there holding a gun.

"Jaden honey put down the gun." Lu said in a soft tone.

"I killed my baby Lu. I killed him!"

"Honey put down the gun and we can talk." Peter said

"I'm so scared Mom! Don't come near me!" Jaden warned when she saw Lu get ready to move towards her.

"Sweetheart whatever your feeling right now we can work through it."

"Talking is not going to bring my baby boy back!" Jaden pointed out.

"Sweetie your young you have plenty of time to have children."

"Jaden Hon slowly put down the gun. Come and talk to us." Peter reasoned.

Lu slowly moved closer to Jaden.

"Jaden we need to talk about this. Killing yourself won't bring your baby back." Lu reasoned with the fourteen year old girl.

"Lu don't you understand?"

"Understand what Jay Jay?"

"My baby died because of me. I'm the one who chose to have the operation. I'm the one who paid the money. That makes me a murder."

"Your not a murder Jaden! You did what you had to do. That's all in the past now." Lu said cautiously. Then she remembered what her two daughters were saying in the car.

"Jaden please come away form the ledge." Peter asked in a kind firm tone.

Jaden, who had still not put down the gun, was standing perfectly still waiting to see what Lu was going to do next.

"Jaden I love you. The kids love you. They love you so much that they tried to warn me that something was going to happen to you."

"How did they know?" Jaden shot in a nasty tone.

"I honestly don't know. All they said is that Sissy was really sad and that something bad was going to happen."

Lu walked closer and closer to Jaden talking to her calmly all the way.

"Mom don't come any closer!" Jaden warned again as she pointed the gun to her own head and looked harshly at Lu.

"OK, OK ! I'm backing up slowly." Lu said as she held her hands up surrendering.

"Jaden this is not the way to go. How would the little ones feel if they woke up in the morning and their big sister was dead?" Peter questioned.

"I don't want to hurt them. That's why I have to die. Everyone I get close to someone I get hurt. I loved my baby with all of my heart and then I had to do what I had to do."

"Sweetie you can love Allison and Brittany. Their not going anywhere. It's not the same thing as if you had to raise a child on your own. Their my babies and I have to raise them. You're their big sister. All you have to do is love them." Lu began to slowly creep towards Jaden again. But then she changed her mind and backed up. Out of the corner of her eye she had seen Peter give her the signal to distract Jaden.

"Honey tell me about what happened."

"What are you talking about?" Jaden asked . Her focus was now entirely on Lu.

"Tell me what happened to your baby. I know you didn't really do all of that yourself. You must have had some help somewhere along the way."

"No I didn't I did it on my own."

"Jaden honey your not telling the truth. I'm a mother I can tell."

"Daddy did it." Jaden said in a tone so quiet that Lu couldn't hear her.

"What sweetie?"

"Daddy did it!" Jaden spoke up more loudly.

"Your daddy did what sweetheart?"

"He brought me to the New York's branch of RWHC. He held me down while a guy doctor he knew went in and did the abortion. He wouldn't let them sedate me."

"Jaden honey I'm sorry I didn't know." Peter was now right behind Jaden, and Lu signaled with her eyes for him to wait.

"He made me go through all that pain and then he forced me to look at what my baby would have been." Jaden was now crying and Peter grabbed her from behind in one swift movement. A gun shot went off and Jaden screamed. Peter screamed for Lu to come and help him.

Lu ran over and took the gun from Jaden. Then once Jaden had used up all of her energy thrashing around Peter let her go and she sunk down to the ground. Using the wall of the ledge to support her.

Lu walked over to Jaden and squatted down next to her. Putting her long arms around the fourteen year old in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Jaden cried over and over again. Lu knew that she was talking more to herself than she was to Lu or Peter.

"We'll be fine Peter. Could you please go and check on the children?"

"Sure." Peter said as he walked back down the indoor stairs closing the door behind him. Lu scooted closer to Jaden and let the weight of her body fall against her own.

"Sweetie I know it must be hard, but you've got to stop doing this to yourself." Lu explained in a tone not to friendly.

"How will I ever get over what I did?"

"We can work together to help you, as a team."

"I guess but what good will that do?"

"Promise me you'll come and talk to me when you feel this way."

"I promise Lu."

"Ok. Sweetie Well the thing is …I know what it feels like to be raped and then to become pregnant. It's a horrible feeling. And it makes it even worse if your being threatened. But no matter what happened you will always have people here that love you and support you. That's why I got you out of there. Because I love you like you were my own daughter and I couldn't stand to see what those people were doing to you."

"The pain is so huge and fresh Lu. It feels like it will never go away."

"What happened to you is something that you will always remember, no matter what you do to try and forget. What's important is how you deal with that pain. It will begin to decrease in time. But until then you have to learn positive ways to deal with it." Lu lectured the small child in her arms.

"Please don't lecture me Mom."

"Sweetie although what happened to you is tragic. I want to help you get through it."

"I know you do." Jaden said. She knew all her mom wanted to do is help.

"This is not going to help." Lu said pulling up Jaden's sleeve intending to find the old scars form last year that she knew were still there but instead she found angry red thick cuts across the wrist. " Oh Jaden." Lu said quietly.

"He would have been one years old today." Jaden said out loud.

"Honey what have you been cutting yourself with?"

"A scrap of metal that I found in the tool shed. It's shaped like a pen."

"Honey you have to stop doing this. You could get a infection. Did you at least sterilize the metal before you cut yourself with it?"

"No!"

"Jaden please don't push me away. I love you so much. And well sweetie I know what it's like to loose a child."

"What?" Jaden asked caught off guard.

"When I was twenty-three years old I had a miscarriage and my baby girl died." Lu said as the memories flooded over her, memories that she hadn't thought of in so long. In fact nobody knew except her and Jaden.

"That means she would have been exactly my age!" Jaden exclaimed.

"Yes, yes she would." Lu said as she thought back.

"But that's different. That was an accident."

"Your right but it's still loosing a child that I loved."

Jaden and Lu stayed on that roof and talked for hours, and then after finally calming Jaden down, they walked hand in hand back down to the clinic. Lu went to the medicine cabinet and took out a shot of liquid sleeping pill.

"Here Jaden. I'm going to give you a shot to help you sleep." Lu explained.

"Ok." Jaden went over to Lu and Lu gave her the shot. Within minutes Jaden was asleep on the fold out couch in Lu's office. Lu covered her with a blanket and then went upstairs to check on her best friend.

"Did you hear anything?" She asked Kayla.

"Oh hey Lu. I was just coming to get you. She's awake and she wants to see u."

Lu walked into Dana's room and was surprised to see her sitting up and talking to one of the nurses. Like nothing in the world had happened to her.

"Hey sweetie how are you feeling huh?" Lu asked gently.

"Fine, a little tired, what happened?" Dana asked.

"What do you remember?"

"Nothing just Nick knocking me down that's all."

"A lot more happened, but you should get some rest."

"No Lu I want you to tell me."

"OK… are you sure?"

"I'm sure. What happened?"

"Well form what Kayla told me……Nick threw you down and obviously you got knocked out because he slit your wrists and your throat . It looks like he wanted to kill you."

"Did the two of you have a fight?"

"Yeah…… but I don't remember what about."

"It's OK Dana you don't have to remember. Try and get some rest OK?"

"I'll try. My children! Where are my children at? Did Nick hurt them too?"

"Your children are just fine. There asleep in your office. Kayla and Peter went to you house and collected them after they found out what happened."

"I'm so sorry."

"Sorry about what Dana?"

"I'm sorry!" Dana repeated before she fell asleep again.

What's going on around here? Lu thought to herself. First Dana gets beat up and then Jaden goes psycho on me.

_**Later That Evening**_

"Well Alexia, We'll have to do further testing in a week, but it seems that everything is in order. You can get dressed now." Lu said to the small child she was examining. Alexia Webber brought her daughter Alexis in she came in with a big bruise on her right thigh and then a few smaller bruises on her legs and arms.

"Thank you Lu. When will the lab results be in?" Alexia asked.

"They should be ready by next Friday. The labs been really backed up though and so I will let you know if their going to be any longer when you come in."

"Is she going to be OK Lu?"

"She should be fine."

"Thank you."

"Anytime sweetie."

Lu looked at the child one final time before she and her mother left Lu's office and got into the taxi that would take them home.

"Hey mom?" Jaden asked walking into Lu's office.

"Yes?"

"Brittany wants you."

"What's the matter?"

"I don't know she just woke up crying for her mommy."

"Did you check and see if her fever came back?"

"Yes Ma'am she feels warm."

"OK sweetie thank you." Lu said as she walked with Jaden back into Dana's office and felt her little girls head.

"Is she OK?"

"Well your right… she does feel a little warm. It's probably just a cold nothing to worry about." Lu gave her baby a dose of fever reducer and then held her.

"Mommy I no feel good!"

"I know baby."

"Lu they need you in the ER." Lana said poking her head into the office.

"OK thank you Lana."

"Your Welcome baby girl. "

"Jaden could you watch your sister? She should go back to sleep soon. Where's Alley at?"

"She's asleep on Dana's couch."

"OK just checking."

"Go do what you have to do Mom. The kids are fine."

"Thanks sweetie."

"Anytime."


	12. INTERNAL HEMORRHAGING CAUSES NEAR DEATH

**For The Love Of A Child**

**Chapter Twelve- **_Internal Hemorrhaging causes Near Death_

**Disclaimer: As usual I own everyone you don't recognize! **

Lu ran into the ER not sure what to expect. She hopped that nothing bad had happened.

"Who paged me?" Lu asked as she suited up.

"I did." Kayla answered

"What happened?" Lu asked as she saw her best friend laying on the ER table for the second time in only a few hours.

"She went into shock after the operation in her hospital room."

"What? I was just talking to her not even twenty minutes ago and she was fine! She was alert and talking to me, answering questions."

"Apparently she suffered internal bleeding from her beating, that wasn't caught during the operation. The bleeding caused her to go into cardiac arrest, they have resuscitated her, but she is very weak. Once she wakes we have to go back in and make sure the bleeding has stopped, and remove the baby. She hasn't waken yet." Kayla said as she helped transport Dana to the ICU. Lu following close behind her.

Lu looked at her friend Kayla dumbstruck. How could this happen to a successful, mother? She couldn't believe it!

"I thought you should know Lu, the next 48 hours are crucial."

"What baby? Dana never told me she was expecting!" Lu exclaimed hurting for her best friend.

"She never told any of us either, but apparently she was twenty three weeks along when he abused her. If caught he would go in for battery, and murder in the second degree."

"Please go check on the children, I'll stay with Dana." Lu looked at Dana and sad tears began to fill her eyes. It seemed like all she ever did was cry these days. She really wished she could just be happy again.

"Ok sure." Kayla finished transferring Dana onto the Hospital bed and hooking her up to the many heart and breathing machines, then she left to do as Lu requested. "Page me when she wakes, she still has a second operation to under go."

Lu sat next to her best friend and held her hand. She couldn't help thinking about her past. It made her angry with , well she didn't know who exactly she was angry with but she was angry. She had defiantly gotten the ruff part of the deal. And now her best friend was in the ICU? This totally sucked.!.!. ! Life was so unfair!

"Dana you have to pull through this! You have to! Dana please! We've been through so much together, please wake up. Please don't leave me!" Tears form Lu's eyes fell down and landed on her best friends hand. A song unheard by the characters began to play in the background.

_It must have been cold there in my shadow, _

_To never have sunlight on your face, _

_You were content to let me shine, _

_That's your way, _

_You always walked a step behind, _

_So I was the one with all the glory, _

_While you were the one with all the strain, _

_A beautiful face without a name, _

_For so long, _

_A beautiful smile to hide the pain, _

_Did you ever know that you're my hero?_

_Your everything I would like to be, _

_I could fly higher than and eagle, _

_For you are the wind beneath my wings. _

_Oh the wind beneath my wings. _

_It might have appeared to go unnoticed, _

_But I have it right here in my heart, _

_I want you to know I know the truth, _

_Of course I know it, _

_I would be nothing without you, _

_Did you ever know that you're my hero?_

_Your everything I wish I could be, _

_And I , I would fly higher than and eagle, _

_Cause you are the wind beneath my wings, _

_Oh the wind beneath my wings, _

_You you you, _

_Are the wind beneath my wings, _

_Fly fly fly higher than the sky, _

_So I almost touch the sky, _

_Thank you, _

_Thank you, _

_Thank God for you, _

_The wind beneath my wings. _

Lu looked down at her best friend who was beginning to stir. She cried out to her silently, screaming at her to wake up! To open those big beautiful eyes and look out at the world again!

Dana stirred and then took Lu's hand in her own, but still didn't open her eyes. She began to speak though.

"Lu my baby, what happened to my baby?"

"Dana open your eyes honey. I need to talk to you."

Dana slowly opened her eyes as if it pained her to do so. She looked up at Lu with her big eyes and asked again.

"What happened to my baby Lu?" a look of fear filled her eyes.

"Katie, Annie, and Luisa are fine, they are down in your office." Lu said trying to beat around the bush.

"No, Lu my baby, what happened to my baby." Dana asked .

"He didn't make it Dana. Not this time sweetie. You were incautious for too long, you lost too much blood, He couldn't get the oxygen he needed to live. But were going to catch the bastard who did this to you Dana! Were going to get him and when we do he's going to be serving time." Dana reached down and gently hugged her friend. She could tell Dana was upset.

"It was his baby boy. He said he wanted a boy. That was his boy." Dana kept repeating over and over again out loud. Lu gently stroked her long reddish brown hair and comforted her.

"It's ok honey. It will be OK I promise you."

"Did the surgeons already……" Dana asked letting the sentence drop.

"No honey. You didn't loose the baby until after you were out of surgery. . They wanted me to tell you once you woke. So that they could go back in. You had internal bleeding, due to the beating, which also lead to the death of your baby boy. The bleeding has seemed to stop, but they still have to go in." Lu hurt so much for her friend, she felt as if her heart had just been broken into two million tiny pieces. She knew what it was like to loose a child. She wouldn't wish that pain on her worst enemy.

"Do it, just do it!." Dana screamed with almost hatred. " Please Lu just do it. I should of known this pregnancy wasn't going to work." Dana said with coldness. She didn't even cry. She just said to do it.

"Dana honey we have to make sure your stable before we put you under another anesthetic. We don't want to loose you like we almost lost you."

"I know Lu I know."

"Dana promise me you won't leave me." Lu said. She knew it sounded childish or even clingy, but she didn't know how she would cope without her best friend to tell everything to.

"I promise Lu, I promise I won't just do the operation. I want you to do it. Lu please just hurry and do the operation."

"OK." Lu said surrendering. She was saddened by how quick Dana wanted to get the operation to remove her dead son form her stomach. Dana didn't miscarry until she was already out of surgery and in her room, right before she went into cardiac arrest, and had to be resuscitated.

Lu left to talk to Dr. Jackson and see what he deemed the best sangria for Dana's case. She hated that her friend was hurting so.

"Bob! Seriously! She is in pain, she is hurting, we have no choice. We have to do the operation now, if we don't she will have a greater risk of infection and a greater risk of shock and death."

"Fine Delgado we'll do the operation right away. Now get up there and give her the consent papers. And tell her the basics of the operation which we will be performing." Bob demanded.

Lu went to her desk and grabbed the standard consent forms, then she walked back up to her best friend who was laying on her hospital bed without speaking or even moving when she entered the room.

"Dana honey?" Lu asked unsure.

"Yeah?" Dana answered

"I need you to sign these consent forms Hun. We need to go in and do the operation straight away to avoid shock and infection."

"Ok." Dana said void of all emotions as she signed the papers.

"Remember we will be making a cut in your stomach, and then we will be removing the fetus" Lu said.

"Lu I know I'm a doctor too, please just do it already."

"The anisticialogist will be in soon to prep you."

"Thank you Lu. Remember I want you to do the surgery."

"I will Dana just try and relax sweetie." Lu stroked the older girls hair and held her hand. She could tell that the loss of a baby was nothing new to Dana. In fact Katie was a miracle baby.

"Lu…Please… If something should happen… please promise me you'll take care of my three babies." Dana said begging to Lu. " Please don't let them become foster children, promise me you'll take care of them."

"Dana your being silly nothing is going to happen to you."

"Lu please just incase promise me. If anything ever happens to me promise you'll take care of my baby's."

"I promise Dana. I promise."


End file.
